Darkened Hope
by Sicanasda
Summary: My masterpiece! PG-13 for blood and other mature things. Dart-Rose, the way it's suppose to be. My character makes his first true appearance in my fics. R&R.
1. Default Chapter

I'm back! (Readers scream and run away) What did I do? (Redblaze corners a few readers) Well anyway, I've got a new fic for all you people out there to read. This is my first fic that won't have a happy ending so if you don't have any tissues or something like that, you may not want to read. And as is in all my LOD fics, that &#$^*&^ little &^$&* Shana is dead! And if you're a ^$&%&*^ Rose-Lloyd fan, GET OUT! Lloyd dies in the game and the only ones I ever bring back to life are Lavitz and Rose. Anyway, Dart's the only match for Rose. 'Nuff said, so I'll begin the story.

P.S. This takes place five years after the death of Melbu Frahma and four years after the reincarnation of Rose.

P.S.S. POV will change occasionally. Try to guess which POV I'm writing in each time. It will mostly be Dart, Rose, Redblaze or Meru.

P.S.S.S. Just so you know, my character, funnily enough named Redblaze, will appear.

P.S.S.S.S. I might put Meru and my character romance in. Not because she's my favorite character, (Rose is) but because I think it would be funny after you see what my character is like.

This line means new POV

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Have you ever looked at the sky on a cloudless night? Watched the stars in the distance twinkle with the beauty of a thousand diamonds? Have you ever wondered what might have happened had you chosen to live your life differently? I have. I look up at the stars and wonder, where is she? What's she doing? I have wondered this for the past four years. Every night, I look up from the top of the tree I call home, and wonder if I'll ever see her again.

It had been a lonely four years since I brought the magic of life back to her. Four years since she waved goodbye and walked out of my life. Rose. 

And what about Shana? I hope she's with my mother and father. I remembered the vow I made to her seconds before she was killed. 

(Flashback)

"Shana!" I yelled as the darkness captured her.

"D, Dart… save yourself!" She yelled back.

"Shana. I will live on. Your death will be avenged." I said before the beast consumed her entirely.

In a rage of fury I sliced through the monster and struck its blackness. I fell back as it flew high into the air and jetted away from me.

(End flashback)

I will always remember the coldness of that beast. But now is not the time to think of such things. Now is the time to wonder about where Rose might be. And was she thinking of me as well? That was the one thing I never learned of on our journey. What did Rose think of me? Did she think of me as a friend, a partner, or perhaps did she care for me as a brother or as something more?

I flipped to the ground below and got into my hammock. I didn't mind the quietness of my lonely home. I've lived here for the past two years. After a while, your heart just stops yearning for company. That's what my heart did. But for some reason, I can't forget about Rose. 

I stared up into the sky and knew that someday I'll find her. Where we will be, I don't know. When it will be, I don't know. Will we meet as friends, or as enemies? Will she… remember me? I may not know the answers to these questions, but I intend to find them.

I flew through the bright blue sky, clutching my bleeding arm. I breathed the clean air but was not relaxed. But I did notice that the air around me had no comparison to the place I just left. There, the air was full of smoke from the fires. It smelled of burning flesh and fiery houses. The sky was a blood red in color.

Oh God, where is he? He had to be in these woods somewhere! He's the only one who can stop it! I flew faster as the smoke in the distance became smaller and smaller until the trees blocked it. Then, over the horizon, I saw it. A thin plume of smoke from a campfire! I sped toward it.

It was him! I saw him look up as I sped past, bewildered at what it was. I spun around and flew down to where he was. It would've been a 5 star landing had it not been for the tree. Now, that wouldn't have hurt as much if my hammer hadn't flown up and hit me upside the head. But it did and I was unconscious. 

When I awoke, I was in a hammock looking up at the stars far above. Dart was sitting next to me with a worried look on his face. I felt the cool, moist cloth on my head and groaned. My arm was patched up but it reminded me of what I had come to say.

"Dart! Hurry! It's Neet!" I said, referring to the rebuilt town.

"Shhh. Calm down. Now tell me what happened." He replied.

I couldn't calm down, not after what I had seen. "Dart, she's back! She's back! It was as if the Black Monster was back!"

"What?! But… Rose." Dart stared in disbelief. He shook his head and nodded. "I understand. I'll go."

Dart transformed and sped off to the ruins of Neet, giving me instructions to stay here and not leave. I nodded and waved as he flew away. I looked up into the sky. Rose… what was she doing?

I flew at the fullest of my capabilities toward the ever-growing plume of smoke. Rose, I've found you. I just wish it were under different circumstances. But I promised Neet my protection should it ever come to danger, whether it be my friend or foe. I sighed, for I knew that very soon, my sword would cross with hers and, although I didn't want to, I would get my revenge that I had thrown away so long ago.

For four long years, I have dreamt of seeing her again and maybe travel with her once again. And now I knew where she was. I was less then 2 miles away from her. But why Rose? Why did you make it so my meeting with you here will be our last?

My heart skipped a beat as I saw her winged form. I nearly cried as I thought of what I must do. I suddenly saw the energy she was forming. I saw her target. A small, crying boy. I didn't hesitate as I flew in. I flew between the boy and Rose just as the blast unleashed. She couldn't see me and she must have figured the boy was dead. I waved my hand through the energy and it disappeared as my armor touched it.

I raised my head and looked into Rose's eyes. I could see so many emotions and feelings running through them. Fear, torment, anger, and joy shone in her eyes. But there was something in them I had never seen before. Was that a… a tear?

I felt every feeling I could see in her. I felt fear of what I have to do, torment of knowing what I had to do, anger for not being able to think of a better way, and joy for having found her at last. I felt the tears in my eyes and felt the pain as my hand touched the cold metal of my sword.

Her eyes scanned me over as she flew down slowly to me. She held her hand outstretched and I took it. She moved close to me and I felt a tear fall on my shoulder.

She leaned into my ear and whispered. "I'm sorry Dart. But this is goodbye once again." With that she flipped backward and drew her sword. 

I drew my sword in a flash but hesitated when I looked into her eyes. They were darker than they had ever been. I realized my mistake just in time to avoid her sword. I knocked her sword back with my own. I held my sword in a steady position. I saw her eyes flash and they were the color I remember them.

"Dart! Have I taught you nothing? Don't let me get too close!"

Her eyes flashed back to dark and she flew at me. I flipped over her head and spun around, narrowly missing her back. She cursed herself for leaving herself open. She spun and locked her sword against mine.

"Rose! Why are you doing this? What happened to the Rose I knew?"

"That Rose is lost! I'm the one you face!"

This wasn't Rose! I won't ever accept that this was Rose! I fought back the tears as Rose slashed again at me. Rose would never attack her friends. She would never bring back the pain she had escaped.

"Rose! Please listen to me! I know the real you is in there somewhere. The loyal woman who saved my life countless times. Please Rose, come back."

Her eyes flashed lighter again and she spoke. "Dart, I'm here. Please! Kill me before I kill you! I don't know how much longer I'll be able to control myself! Kill me!" She managed to yell this to me before her eyes flashed dark again and she attacked. My heart fell as her words bounced around in my mind. I just can't imagine killing her. But she had ordered me to do so.

I felt the tears in my eye as I dropped my sword to the ground and raised my cannon high. But before I could do any more, I was kicked in the chest. My spell fizzled and my sword flew back to my hand. 

I swung at her and missed barely. Then I saw the one sign that told me the real Rose was in there. A small tear in her eye. I felt as though my heart was about to explode with pain.

"Rose, I, I… I love you!"

Then I tried my spell again. Rose was shocked by what I had said. I was shocked by what I said. But was it true? Did I really mean it? Could I really love her? Or was this just my imagination. I shook my head. No! I can't think about this now! I have to complete the one request the actual Rose had given me.

I threw my sword to the ground and raised my cannon. Energy swarmed from the sky and flew to my outstretched hand. I lowered my cannon and pointed it at Rose. She just now regained her senses and was flying toward me. But she knew as well as I that she had no chance.

"I'm sorry." I whispered as the cannon discharged the powerful blast. "Divine Dragon Cannon!" I yelled quickly, wishing I didn't have to say it.

The blast struck Rose and I felt my heart shatter. I watched her broken body fly through the air and smash into the ground. I flew down to her and landed. I jumped back as a black form erupted from Rose and flew high into the sky. It took the form of a huge monster and flew away. Why do I feel like I remember it? I shook my head and transformed to my regular state and looked at her heavy labored breathing. I felt her face and she smiled at me.

"Dart… It's gone. The… Black Monster. But… did… you mean… what you… said?"

I covered her lips with two fingers. "Please don't talk. Please. I've finally found you. I can't bare to see you die again."

She slowly closed her eyes but was still breathing. I transformed to a dragoon again and lifted her gently into my arms. I held her close to me and flew as fast as I could to my home in the nearby forest. I leaned close to her to keep her warm and whispered, "Just hang on a little longer."

I prayed she was still alive, as I couldn't feel her heartbeat through my armor. I saw my home and landed much more gracefully than Meru had. Meru jumped off my hammock and I placed Rose in it. I transformed and felt her pulse. I breathed a sigh of relief and felt her cheek softly.

Meru looked at me skeptically and walked by me and transformed. She used her Rainbow Shower spell on Rose before transforming back. Rose's wounds were healed but I could tell that a spell wasn't going to heal her completely. Rose breathed a little better and lost the look of utter pain she had held, but I could see that she was torn apart in her mind.

I walked slowly to a tree on the other side of the camp and took out my harmonica. I played softly, just to ease the pain I still held from the blast I had fired. Meru sat by me and listened for a while.

After about a half-hour, I placed the harmonica in its case and put it away. I looked at Rose and thought about how lucky I was to have not killed her with that blast. I felt my heart's pain ease every time I saw Rose breathe. For I had truly thought I had killed her for a few agonizing seconds.

Meru looked at me again and back to Rose. She saw my eyes and walked up to me.

"Dart, What'cha doin'?" She spoke in her little singsong voice.

I realized that she had noticed my stare and quickly said, "I… just don't know."

"You like Rose, don't you?" Meru spoke in a voice more serious than I had ever heard from her before.

"I can't say. I don't know if I do or not." I said quietly.

Meru remained silent as I tossed her a spare pillow and blanket. I climbed the tree over the hammock and looked into the stars. So many new questions. I'll never know what the Black Monster really was. Just as long as it isn't in Rose. But that black shade I had seen. Was that… the Black Monster? And if it was, why did I remember it?

I opened my eyes slowly and looked around. Where was I? I looked up and saw the silhouette of Dart high above in the trees. This must be where he lived now. I raised my arm and flexed each finger. It looked like I was O.K. now. I saw Meru and figured she healed me. But what have I done?! How could I kill all those people?! 

I lightly stood and slowly climbed the tree Dart was in. I reached the top and sat beside him. He turned to me but didn't say a word. He just lightly brushed my cheek with his hand and stared into the night sky.

"Dart, please, kill me now. I don't deserve to live after what I've done."

"Rose, I won't kill you. Look, you look back and see all the murders you committed, correct?"

"Yes." I said, nodding, not understanding what he meant.

"You may have done all that, but that is gone. Plus, look at me. Here, feel my hands."

I gingerly took his hands and felt the palms.

"See. My hands are the hands that have held a sword forever. A sword is a weapon of death. I have killed many as well. I feel your hands and they are soft and smooth. There the hands of someone that does more than just fight. You have a heart. You have a mind. You are so much more than a killer. Please try to understand. I would never kill you, as long as it can be avoided. You're my friend and will be so forever, no matter how many murders either of us commit." 

I looked at him and felt the caring in his word seep into me. I remembered the battle we had and thought of the words he had said. 

"Tell me this time. Did you really mean what you said?" I looked into his eyes, praying for the right answer.

"I, I…" He shook his head. "I don't know." 

I looked deeper into his eyes and saw the confused expression in them. He had the eyes of someone that had just found something special but didn't know what to do with it.

"Dart, You are the only person in this entire world who really knows who I am. You are the only one I have ever been able to call a 'friend'. I don't hate you for beating me. I care for you. Not as much as to be what I call love, but more than what a brother and sister share. Is it not the same to you?"

Dart nodded and laid down on the branch supporting him. "Every night for the past four years, I've sat and stared at the stars, wishing to meet you again. Today when we fought, I was nearly broken. When I thought I had killed you, I had felt my dreams, my hopes, my very soul, shatter as you fell. I thought that every one of those nights I sat and wished to talk to you had been in vain. But now, here I am, with you beside me. I prayed to find you again. I missed you so much. It had been four years since I last saw you. You can see why I hesitated so much and fought with such weakness."

"You weren't weak. Believe me." I almost laughed as I rubbed my injured arm.

I looked into the sky and watched as a star shot across the sky. I made a silent wish and continued to look into the sky.

"Dart, I just want you to know that, I missed you too. I now realize what drew me to you in the first place. What had drawn my attention to you when I saved your life from Fyerbrand. I now see how much you remind me of Zieg. If I hadn't believed Zieg had been dead for all those years, I would have known you were his son. You're so much like him. You fight to protect people, not to be recognized. You didn't lead us forcibly but led us calmly. You never turned your back to anyone, you would always help, even if they were your worst enemy. I want to see what you do with all this potential."

Dart looked up at the ordinary moon that had replaced The Moon That Never Sets. "Shana…" He whispered before almost falling off the branch as he jumped. "Shana! No, I don't believe it!"

I looked at him curiously. "What don't you believe?"

"Rose, when I defeated you, a black form flew from you. I take it was the Black Monster?"

"It seems so. I can't feel the evil inside me."

"Three years ago, Shana was killed. A horrible black beast swallowed her. Before I could kill it, it flew away. Most likely, it flew to you. It was the Black Monster! I have to fight it!"

I felt myself feel with pain as he spoke. I looked down and shook my head. "But Dart, how do you know you can beat it? It's so powerful. During these years, I had feared for you. I knew of the danger that seems to follow you. I can't imagine feeling the pain you must have felt when I had been killed."

"Rose, it's getting late. Maybe we should go to sleep and talk about this in the morning. Goodnight."

I nodded. "Goodnight Dart. Thank you for showing me that anyone can change."

I climbed down the tree behind him and he motioned for me to lie on the hammock. I did so and watched as he put together a small patch of grass for himself. I shook my head and looked at Meru. Dart, he always thought of others before himself. I was in a hammock, Meru in a sleeping bag, and he was laying on the ground.

I closed my eyes, knowing that even though I could never forgive myself for what I have done, Dart could. And that was all that mattered to me right now.

I opened my eyes as the bright morning light struck them. I stood, rubbing the aches and pains from my back. I would have to remind Dart to use better softeners. I felt like I was sleeping on a rock. I rolled up the sleeping bag and saw why I felt that way. I had been sleeping on a rock. 

I looked over at Rose. Personally, I think Dart likes her. I mean, he gave her the hammock. Or it could be that he let her have the hammock because she was hurt. But that's what he wants me to think. But I know better, because I'm the best and prettiest dancer there is!

I hid behind a tree as Dart groaned and woke up. "Meru?" I heard him call after checking on Rose.

I cupped my hands over my mouth to suppress a laugh. I saw Dart just shrug and go back to Rose. Rose woke up and they began to speak. I wasn't eavesdropping, I just happened to hear every word that was spoken. 

"I didn't want to say this in front of Meru. I'm not sure she knows yet. But not too long ago, I got news that the Forest of Winglies had been attacked much like Neet. I didn't want to believe it was you. I mean, I'm sure Meru doesn't know that her parents… are dead." Dart was whispering quietly but I still heard enough to bring tears to my eyes.

How could my parents be, be dead?! How could Rose?! But before I could run out, I heard Rose speak. "It hadn't been me. I was never there. But you're right. Several days ago, I felt the Black Monster leave me. It hadn't needed me to destroy the forest. It realized that I had just made it weaker. You proved it when you beat me." 

I stopped. How could it have not been Rose? Did this mean... she wasn't really the Black Monster? It had just borrowed her body? I felt my anger leave, but the sorrow in my heart remained. How could my parents be dead?

I listened as the conversation changed. "Rose," Dart whispered, "You and I both know what I have to do. I have to track down the Black Monster and finish it, once and for all."

Rose looked down. "I know. But it's so dangerous. I have a fraction of the power that it has. And I have thought about this over and over, and every time it passes through my mind, I know it more and more. I want to go with you. When Melbu Frahma died, it had been the Black Monster that did it. It hadn't been me. The Black Monster is capable of killing a god with one blow." Rose started to raise her voice, not as though she was angry, but as if she was scared. She began crying. "Dart, just imagine what it can do to you! It could kill you with a glance! I'm coming with you!"

Dart caught her as she started to cry uncontrollably on his shoulder. He whispered quietly to her and I couldn't make out the words. He patted her back gently and she looked up into his face. He wiped the tears from her eyes with a gentle touch of his hand. I looked at them as they looked at each other. 

Just then for some reason, my hand slipped from the tree I was leaning on and I fell out into the clearing. They quickly turned away from each other. I looked at them skeptically. What were they doing?

Dart was the first to speak. "Meru, did you hear what we were talking about?"

I slowly nodded my head. They could obviously see the pain in my features. Rose looked away, as if positive I would blame her. I put my hand on her shoulder and calmly said, "It's not your fault. I'm glad it wasn't really you." I turned to Dart. "I'm coming too. You guys will need someone to protect you and now Dart isn't the only one who wants pay back."

"Meru," Dart began, "It will be dangerous."

"I know." I replied, "But I can't let you go it alone. I need to be a part of this."

Dart paused, then sighed, "Alright Meru. But be careful. Oh yes, I need to talk to you in private."

Rose walked a ways away and I listened to Dart as he whispered, "Meru, promise me that should I be killed, you are to go on without me. Make sure Rose finishes safely as well as yourself."

I nodded, allowing he had said to sink in. "But Dart. How could YOU die? You defeated a god!"

"No." Dart spoke harshly, more toward him than at me, "Rose and my father's sacrifice killed a god. I am not as strong as everyone thinks. I can be killed just as, if not easier, as any of our friends."

"Dart, you're right. But I don't plan on letting you die. You're one of my best, not to mention only, friends." I looked over to Rose. "I'll keep an eye on her."

We walked back over to Rose and began to prepare for our journey.

I packed away the last of my supplies and checked to make sure Rose and Meru were ready. When I walked up to Rose, she quietly whispered in my ear, "I need to speak with you. Meru might get a little too excited. Let's go over there." 

She led me a little ways away. "So, what is it you want to talk about?" I questioned. 

"When you had brought me back, I had felt like I was in a whole new world. I went to the old divine tree. There, as I was recalling memories and feelings, I saw something. A small stone." She held out a stone that I recognized instantly. I knew it was it from the moment and felt the warmth flow through me. 

"How, how did the Red-Eye Dragon Spirit survive?" I asked while I stared into the beautiful red light that showed it still knew me. 

"I can't say. But when I picked it up, I saw a stone tablet under it. It has to have something to do with the Dragon Spirit. Here, take a look." She handed me stone slab that had words engraved upon it. 

I read the words aloud. "Seven united led to his fall. The seven divided, he conquers all. Years after fate was severed by heroes brave, he'll rise to drive them to their grave. Black as the hell from which it was created, strong as the light that where its soul was fated. Seven alone can't undo the power, united, 8 can defeat this Black Monster." 

I turned to Rose as she spoke. "Seven Dragoons fought and broke the chains of fate. According to this prophecy, seven won't cut it."

"No. We have eight. We each have a Dragon Spirit and I have two. We have eight Spirits. Now we just need to get the others and we'll at least stand a chance." I said as I turned to walk back to Meru.

Rose put her hand on my shoulder and stopped me. I turned. "Rose, is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I just want to say that, I, uh, nevermind. Let's go." I shrugged but still wondered what she had been about to say. I shook my head but couldn't help but notice the nearly invisible reddening in Rose's cheeks.

I pushed the thought aside as I slung my satchel over my shoulder. Rose and Meru followed me as I walked away. I took one last look at what had been my home for the past several years and couldn't help but ask myself, will I ever see this place again?

I awoke that morning and looked into the face of an angel. How I had become lucky enough to find her was anyone's guess. I gently kissed her crimson lips before I got out of bed. She gave a soft sigh as I stretched and prepared for my busy schedule. 

I had meetings with people throughout the nation all morning and after lunch, I have a meeting with the mysterious Black Knight who had shown up last year. He has a very good reputation. He even saved a few travelers from monsters.

I walked into the wardroom and, as I do every now and then, looked at my old battle clothing, covered with stains of blood, both monster and my own. I touched the dry blood on the left shoulder and remembered the battle that had nearly cost me my life.

(Flashback)

I could feel the pain that Dart was forced to hold. I heard his cries of pain as thousands of winged soldiers flew down from above, relentlessly slicing at him. At last, they stopped. But I could see another spell on Melbu Frahma's tongue. 

A beam of energy shot forth toward Dart. I couldn't let one of the few people who had known Lavitz as I had die. I took the ferocity of the blast. I blocked to the best of my ability and managed to survive.

Just then, another beam of light flew. I couldn't move in time. The blast struck Rose with so much force that she was thrown to the edge of the battlefield. I watched as she struggled to her feet, heaving herself up with her sword. Then her sword clattered to the ground as Melbu Frahma rammed her. She hit a wall and fell to her knees before slumping over, as if dead.

"Rose!" I turned to see Dart yell as he dashed at Melbu Frahma. He spun and flipped around, sword flashing in the dim light. "Blazing Dynamo!" He called as he sliced through Melbu Frahma.

Melbu Frahma laughed and flew at Dart. Dart was thrown high into the air by the monstrous claw at the bottom of our huge enemy. He was then slammed to the ground, where he barely moved as he tried to get to his knees.

I felt my anger well inside me like a roaring tornado. I jumped at Melbu Frahma with a rage in my soul. My spear spun with every ounce of that rage. I slammed into Melbu Frahma. I spun and twisted, dodging his counter attacks. I gave a final jab, embedding my spear deep inside his stomach before pulling back out.

He laughed yet again. He raised his hand and I saw a poisonous light flicker. It flew at me faster than anything I had ever seen. I cried with pain as it flew through my shoulder. I felt the light exit my back and felt as though my heart had been punctured. I fell to my knees as my vision became a cloudy red color. I accepted death once and for all and accepted fate as I heard Dart yell, "Divine Dragon Cannon!"

(End Flashback)

My wife, my beautiful Queen Crystal, touched my hand gently. "Thinking about that fight again, Albert?" 

"Yes. I miss them all. We had so many good journeys together." I said softly.

She kissed me passionately and sat beside me on the bed. "You'll see them again someday. I just hope you don't have to leave again. I'd miss you too much." She kissed me again, took my hand, and led me out to the dining room where we ate our breakfast. 

I didn't speak at all, for something in the depths of my mind was saying something was wrong. I felt the small jade stone I still carried after its glow faded five years ago when it knew it wasn't needed for a long time. But something was strange about it today. It seemed… warm. I brushed the thoughts of coming danger out of my mind and enjoyed the precious little amount of time I was actually able to spend with Crystal.

Later on, I dismissed the last of the meeting with the people and prepared for my meeting with the Black Knight. I sat and waited for the man until at last, a knight announced his arrival. I sat up straight and looked upon the figure that had entered my meeting chamber.

He had a black robe wrapped around him by a sash of the same color. His face was shrouded in mystery by the dark hood that concealed it. He had a jet-black sheath that had a silver handle protruding from it. He looked to be about six feet tall. He walked with a steady gait and looked to be a proud man. One could never have known he was such a good man by looking at him.

"Ah," I began loudly, "so you are the Black Knight I have heard so much about."

The Knight merely nodded and remained silent. It sent a shiver through me just to look at him, but something in me felt connected to him. What it was, I don't know. 

"What be your name, my good knight?" I asked slowly.

"My name is not of your concern. Who I am needs only I to know. You and everyone around me shall only know me as the Black Knight." He spoke with an icy sharpness in his voice that chilled me to my bones.

"I… I see. May I ask where you come from?" I pressed, hoping to get at least some answer from him.

"Where I come from matters not. Just as where I am going. I will follow my path and you may follow your own."

"I ask you, will thou join the army of Serdio and become a great general?"

"I shall not. I fight no one. I fight for no one. I fight as long as my benefit can be gained. I do not fight for anybody, not even a king. If there is nothing more you wish to ask me, I shall take my leave. Perhaps someday, our paths will cross." And with a swish of his robe, he turned quickly and walked out the door.

I watched him walk away. Something about him felt familiar in me, as if it had been long asleep. I leaned back into my chair and sighed. That meeting hadn't gone as well I had hoped.

I looked around myself and thought. I looked at Dart and knew I had to tell him somehow. As I followed him, I thought of so many different ways to tell him. 'Dart, I love you.' No. That was too quick, I need to show him I mean it.

"Rose."

What about, 'You mean everything to me. I can't live without you.' No. That didn't sound like me at all.

"Rose."

What about…

"Rose! Are you paying attention?!"

I jumped, finally realizing somebody was trying to talk to me. "Oh, I'm sorry. What were you saying?" I asked sheepishly.

Dart sighed. "I was telling you that we're almost to Bales. I figure we can pick up Albert and rest before moving on."

"Alright." I said, glad to know a chance to rest was coming.

We entered Bales soon and began to make our way toward the castle. Just as we turned a corner, Dart was knocked to the ground by a passing man. The man was wearing all black except for a silver sword handle that emerged from a sheath at his belt.

"Sorry." The man muttered before walking hurriedly toward the town exit.

"Who was that?!" Dart said furiously. "He didn't even stop to see if I was alright!"

"I don't know," I whispered, "but there is something strange about him."

Dart got to his feet and dusted himself off. After that, we walked the remainder of the way to the castle with little event other than Meru getting many looks from passing men. As we entered the castle, we were greeted by many surprised knights.

"Why, Mr. Dart, Miss Meru, and Miss Rose! What brings you to the castle?" One asked us.

"We wish to speak with Albert. It is of utmost importance." Dart said, stepping forward.

"Right away. Follow me." The knight said and we followed him up to the throne room.

"Ah, it is so good to see all of you! But let us cut to the meaning of this meeting. Why have you come to Bales?" Albert greeted each of us with a friendly handshake.

"Albert," Dart began, "we need your help. We need your help as one of the dragoons. Read this tablet." Dart handed Albert the tablet and Albert read it.

"Yes, yes you're right. I will have to once again set my duties as a king second and my duty as a dragoon first. Please, rest well tonight. We will leave in the morning. I need to set my affairs in order for now. Meet me at the exit of town tomorrow morning. Farewell." Albert spoke with dignity before he exited the room to his own private quarters.

As we walked away, Albert's wife, Crystal appeared. I had met her when I made a short trip to announce that I was alive. "You came to take him with you, did you not?"

"I'm sorry," Dart muttered, "But his duties as a Dragoon surpass all else."

"I understand that it overcomes his duty of a king. But does that surpass his duties as a husband?" I saw the tears in her eyes as she spoke.

"We need his strength." Dart said shortly.

"I know." Crystal began to sob. "But can you understand how I will feel everyday he is away? I'll fear for his safety as long as he isn't with me. What if he were to come to harm?"

Dart spoke softly, calming the queen down. "I will give my life if it means your husband will return to you. He is in good hands."

Crystal nodded and thanked Dart. I felt the tone in his voice and knew that he meant it. I prayed it wouldn't come to that.

We walked to the inn where we paid for the night and walked up to our room. I however didn't feel like sleeping. My mind had been pacing all day. When Meru had fallen asleep and Dart was taking a shower, I climbed out the window and on to the roof. Here I would enjoy the quiet peace I needed to be able to think properly. 

I don't know what happened. I suppose I fell asleep, for one minute I had been alone, and the next, Dart was rocking me awake.

"Rose, what are you doing out here? You'll get cold if you sleep out here." Dart sounded worried, a tone I hadn't heard toward me in a long time.

"No Dart. I need to think. But will you… stay out here with me?" I asked slowly, feeling kind of embarrassed.

"Sure. What were you thinking of?" He replied.

"I had been thinking of all the death and pain I caused. How could I have taken so many lives?! I still don't know how you managed to forgive me for taking your mother from you." I felt like crying on his shoulder but I held myself up straight.

"I know of two things that can conquer any hate or spite between people. No matter how powerful that hate is. Friendship… and love. Those two things are more powerful than any evil imaginable." 

"D, Dart," I felt myself stuttering so I took my eyes off him and looked into the sky, "I had loved Zieg 11,000 years ago. When I met the true him five years ago, he wasn't the man I loved. He had lost something that had drawn me to him from the start. His spirit. He wasn't the man who was full of all kinds of life. He used to be able to laugh and cry, hate and love. His emotions had always been stronger than anyone else. All those different emotions had left him. I think I found them in you. I think you inherited all the features Zieg once held that had made me love him. I… care for you more than as a friend. I… love you." I breathed a sigh, glad to have said it, but afraid of what he might say.

"Rose, I understand. But I'm not ready for this. I still don't know how I feel towards you. Every day we traveled together, I grew closer to you. Every night I had been away from you, I thought about you. But I have never understood my feelings toward you. Someday, I will know if I love you or not. Until that day, we'll just be friends. Nothing more, and never anything less." He spoke with a solid tone and I felt crushed. But I could understand what he had said. I understood how he felt, having someone love him but not being sure if he loved me back. All the same, I cried on his shoulder for a while before we had to go inside.

I woke early the next morning and looked at the remnants of tears that still lingered on the sleeping Rose's cheeks. "Please forgive me." I whispered silently, feeling the pain I must have caused her with the truth. I gently nudged Meru awake before slowly waking Rose. As she opened her eyes, I whispered, "I'm sorry."

She just nodded and stood. She ate in silence and I felt like it was my fault. Meru came to me and asked me what the problem was.

"Rose told me that she loved me. I just don't know if I love her. I hope she can understand that until I know for sure." I had told her.

We met Albert in his old battle attire just inside town. He led us out of town, where we were followed for a little ways by many people of the town. But eventually we were alone again. As the days of our journey to find the others passed, I became more worried about Rose. She barely spoke at all and she ate only when we made her. I felt like it was I that broke her heart. 

Finally, we found the others. All had returned to where they had been born and raised. The seven of us journeyed out to find the source of this of the pain Rose had carried for so long. I realized that if not for it, I probably would've been able to love Rose. But I don't understand why, after I forgave Rose of another's sins, I can't love her yet.

It was a lonely night when I had the dream. Eight lights flew in a grassy meadow. Each light was a different color. Red, violet, jade, magenta, blue, white, gold, and gray. Suddenly a black mist descended from the sky. It wrapped itself around each light, smothering the beams. The last to be swallowed were the violet, red, and gray. As they disappeared, another light appeared, one of pure black. It flew into the mist and the other eight lights shimmered brightly. The lights flew together in a blinding flash. When the flash cleared, the lights became a giant rainbow with each of the colors. Another flash, and the mist disappeared.

I woke that morning with a strange understanding of where we had to go. I awoke each of the others quickly and explained that we had to go to the top of the Mountain of the Immortal Dragon.

"How do you know that?" Miranda asked.

"I don't know. It came to me in a dream I guess." I replied, though my dream had nothing to do with any mountain.

Haschel nodded. "Well, if Dart says we should go that way, I'm with him."

We all began our trek to the mountain. I turned to see Rose walk slowly behind everyone else. I walked beside her for a while before whispering, "Rose, I'm sorry. It's just, I don't know. I just don't feel… entirely like I love you. Believe me when I say I do love you, but as a close friend. But someday soon, I think it might change."

She looked into my eyes and nodded. I could see that some of the sadness leave her eyes and a faint spark of hope appeared in its place. I walked with her the rest of the long miles to the mountain. I remembered the fear we had all carried when we first stepped upon the mountain. I felt that fear linger here even after the divine dragon was dead.

With every step I took, more fear was pumped through me. I looked up at the top of the mountain and saw a black glow. This proved my theory of the Black Monster on the mountain. I climbed higher with the others until we reached the summit. There, in the center of the same platform where we had once killed the greatest of all dragons, stood a black form.

A black robe surrounded his body and a I could see a silver handle protruding. "You!" I turned to see Albert yell out. "You're the Black Knight! You've always done good, never evil."

I saw the darkened feature of a smirk appear under the shadow the hood portrayed. "Correct. I chose to inhabit this body for a while, seeing as this man has superior fighting abilities to any I've ever seen. Even my old host, who is brave enough to face me once again I see. But can you best me?"

He charged at me and I barely dodged as he flung his sword from its sheath. It was a beautiful blade with a curve that shown like a diamond. Markings were made up the blade and each word seemed to glow with a magic of its own. His robes fluttered around him as he spun his blade in a deadly dance that showed true mastery of the sword.

I raised the dragon spirit of the Divine Dragon high. As I did, so did all the others. I felt the spirit of the dragon flow through me and embrace me. The armor wrapped around me and my sword flashed into existence. My cannon wrapped on to my arm and I finished the transformation.

"Oh, so you are the fabled dragoons that killed a god. Oh, I am so scared. Try a little of this!"

He spun around and slashed at me, barely missing, before spinning into Miranda. She fell the instant the blade had touched her. He then ran so quickly towards a wall, he shot up it and landed on the pillar above. He jumped with such speed that he seemed to be teleport himself to each pillar. Then he flipped down and slashed at Kongol, causing the towering Giganto to fall. He flipped at Meru and kicked her to the floor. As she stood up again, he slid his foot under her and tripped her before giving her a spinning kick that sent her flying into a rock, knocking her unconscious. 

Just then, Haschel managed to get in an attack. "Thunder God Attack!"

He shot into the air and lightning flashed around him. He slammed into the ground and shot out again, about ten feet closer to the hooded figure. He shot back in and out until he flew down right in front of our enemy. Just as he was about to fly up at the Black Knight, the knight shoved his sword through the ground, and Haschel flew out at an odd angle. Haschel flew into a wall and lie still. 

Then he spun and threw his sword at Albert. I reacted quickly and knocked Albert to the ground, the sword missing us by a mere inch. We stood but I didn't see it until too late. The sword flew back like a boomerang. It sliced through Albert and returned to his attacker. Albert fell to the floor, breathing, but not easily.

"Let's see. Seven minus five equals two. I see why you two still stand. I've been nice enough to not attack you yet. Goodbye."

He launched himself at me and I had no time to react. As the blade was inches from me I closed my eyes. I waited and yet the blade never came. I opened my eyes to see Rose on the ground, blood dipping from her mouth.

"Rose! No! I'll kill you!" I felt my rage grow uncontrollably. I suddenly heard a small, weak voice.

"Dart… Please, survive. I still… love…" She couldn't finish before she closed her eyes.

"You… How could you?! I'll kill you for this! Prepare to defend yourself!"

I launched at him, full of anger and rage. I slashed and connected with his sword. I looked at that smirk on his lips and felt my rage grow hotter. I spun around and kneed him in the stomach before he flipped and backed away.

"Is this… pain? My, this is something I have never felt. You're the first to have ever hit me. Too bad your luck is about to run out."

He flung himself at me and I dodged his blow. He slashed and I blocked. We both backed off, winded.

"Perhaps… this would've been easier had I killed you first. It seems you are connected to that girl."

"You would've gotten a bigger fight from Rose! But you still can't beat me after what you've done! Divine Dragon Cannon!"

I launched the blast at his unsuspecting form. He raised his blade and put and hand on both ends of it, somehow managing not to cut himself. I watched as my blast wrapped around him. Surely he'll be dead after a blast such as that. Suddenly I saw a dark glow fly out from the river of energy. A ball formed and hovered in the spot the knight had stood. It took the form a dragon-like beast and flew through my blast. It traveled along the blast and struck me. I flew back and slammed into a wall. As I did so, the tablet fell from my armor.

The beast hovered over it before laughing. It roared in a deep voice, "You foolish humans! How can you be fooled by such a simple mistake!" It brushed some dirt away from the words on the tablet. "It was supposed to read '9 can defeat this Black Monster'! Fortunately for you, I want a good fight before I destroy the world, thus I shall spare you. I have no use of the pathetic body of that mortal if you were able to defeat him. I would take you, but you would probably be too difficult to control. When you have nine, return here. I shall await you. But know this. If I catch you planning to not return, I will destroy the world on the spot! Until you arrive for your death, goodbye."

A bright flash of light erupted and when it cleared, I found myself far below the mountain. I felt my limbs and managed to stand. I ran to each of my friends and helped them to their feet. Last, I walked to Rose. I felt her pulse and nearly cried with joy. I lifted her gently and carried her to a nearby cave. After that, I carried the still breathing Black Knight to the cave.

Even though she appeared to be fine, I didn't leave Rose's side for an instant. I grew worried as I watched her every move for the next three days. All that time neither she nor the Black Knight had awoken. I was growing scared as each minute passed, all the while her slim body getting frailer and frailer. She seemed to be… No! I won't believe it!

But Haschel came to me and confirmed my worst fears. "Dart, I know this is difficult for you, but… Rose… she's dying. I can see it in her. Look at the way she breathes. That gave me the first clue. But what assured my fears was the wound. Look at the cut."

I looked at the cut and saw what he meant. A strange bluish liquid surrounded the wound. It was barely noticeable but I knew instantly what it was. "Astasia poison." I said more calmly than I felt.

"Yes. Even a small dose can kill within seconds. Rose has been exposed to poison before and got barely any poison in her system though." Haschel replied quietly.

"So it might not kill her?" I whispered hopefully.

"No, it will kill her. It will just take it a few more days. Face it Dart. She's going again."

I couldn't believe what was happening to me. I was forced to watch her as she died again. How can I survive after my most loyal companion dies a second time? I can't! I looked into her face and felt the teas come to my eyes when I finally realized it. I love her. How could I have been such an idiot?! I remembered back on the roof of the inn the night she told me. I had broken her heart. How can I live knowing that such a short time before, I had hurt her in one of the most powerful ways? 

I looked at her smooth cheek, her lightly closed eyes that I loved. How could I have not realized this until now? "Haschel, please. Is there any way to stop the poison?"

Haschel looked downward and nodded. "Yes. But at a high cost. It is said that the poison can be killed with a piece of the soul of the beloved. Dart, I know she loves you. You are the only who can cure the poison and purify her blood. But giving up a piece of your soul would mean your body would be gravely weakened. You would be just as strong as you were at the beginning of your journey five years ago and your will to live will be all but destroyed. Should you come to the kind of harm we normally face, you would be killed with a single blow. Can you give up your life for her?"

"Rose has done so many unselfish things like this. She held my hand tightly when we fell into the ocean. She could have died there. She gave her life for the world when we fought Melbu Frahma. She took the blow that would have surely killed me had it hit. She willingly knew she could lose her life each time she did those things. It's time I returned the favor. What do I have to do?" I understood what I was doing and that I would probably be killed in the long run, but I didn't care. I can't let her die!

"You, um…" Haschel paused and I saw the faint glimmer he always carried return to his eye, "you have to… kiss her." He nearly started laughing as he said that.

"Not exactly how I would like our first kiss to be, but alright. Could you please let me do this alone?" I asked, wondering how he could laugh at a time like this.

He left and took the others with him. I shook my head and looked down upon Rose's sweet face. I gently lifted the hair back and looked at her lips. I gently felt her cheek as I lowered my lips and locked them to hers. Feeling exploded through my mind. I felt a wonderful feeling as her lips touched mine. But that was soon drowned out by the agonizing pain I felt. I felt as if I was being ripped apart inside. My hands shot up and I clasped my head tightly and drew away from her. I saw a bright light that must have been part of my soul enter her and her eyes opened. I fell to my knees as the pain overwhelmed me. I cried in agony . No words can describe the pain I felt. I felt as if I was about to die. Everything turned a bloody red in color as I saw everyone run into the cave. I saw Rose's shocked complexion as the world turned black. 

I cried as I heard the story of what had happened to Dart. He lie on soft pile of blankets and was barely breathing. He had given his soul to me. Haschel told me what he had said about me and I was amazed at how much he respected the things I have done. I felt my love for him grow deeper as the story continued. Then Haschel surprised me when he told me the only way Dart could save me. I felt my lips gently.

"He, he… kissed me?" I said quietly. I wish it had been out of love, but I knew better. He had to do it to save my life.

"Yes. He cares deeply about each of us and is willing to do anything to save our lives. None of us can imagine the pain Dart's going through." 

I was surprised at how much I had healed in a few seconds. It is amazing to think that I was nearly dying then and now I feel fine. I turned as Dart slowly woke and stood up. He nearly fell down again but I managed to catch him. I held him tight until he was able to stand by himself. He looked over to where the Black Knight still lie sleeping and he managed to wake the Knight . The Knight stood and looked around at us. 

"I see that I have fallen in with the group I was just forced to fight. I am sorry for my actions but I had no control over them at the time. You are lucky to be alive after that fight. I must have lost consciousness while I was possessed, for I do not remember much of the fight. But he must not have used the power if you are still alive. If he had, none of you would have left the mountain. This man here is the only one strong enough to withstand my normal strength it appears." The Knight spoke quickly, gesturing to Dart.

I asked, "What is this power? I feel something in you, something that makes you neither human, nor monster."

"I suppose I can allow you few to see the power that can make me stronger than any other human. It is contained here." A black glow appeared in the center of the blackness in his robes. It spun around him, engulfing him in blackness. The sky became darkened as I realized what it was. Black armor, much like his robes, wrapped around him, followed shortly by two powerful wings. "I am a descendant of one of the fabled Dragoons sent to liberate humans from the oppression of the Winglies 10,000 years ago. I am the Dragoon of the Void."

"You are a Dragoon?! How can that be? I thought that there were only seven." Dart sounded confused. 

"It's not a surprise. Dragoons attract each other and are gathered together as the spirit wishes." I said calmly, closing my eyes.

"What do you mean 'Dragoons attract each other'? What does that have to do with anything?" The Knight asked loudly.

I opened my eyes in a flash. "It means everything." As I said this I transformed, shortly followed by Dart and the others.

"I see that I am not the only one remaining. But do you know what this means?" The Black Knight asked before answering his own question. "This means that we have the power to destroy the one that wishes to destroy the world."

Just then Albert spoke up. "If you are going to travel with us, please, remove your hood and tell us thy name."

The Black Knight looked up. "Oh, I did not know that the King of Serdio was a dragoon. If you wish, your majesty, it shall be done."

The Knight slowly removed his hood. Beneath it was the face of a true warrior. On his left cheek was the faded mark of a scar. His hair was platinum and was long and flowing. His eyes were a dark brown in color and had a great depth in them. His face had strong jawbones and was lean all together. 

"My name, you ask, is Red. My last name is Blaze. But the few people who know it call me Redblaze. But no one, will ever truly know, who I am. That is for me to know. I have my own reasons for fighting the Black Monster. Just as I am sure you have yours." He said calmly.

The seven travelers introduced themselves to me. They then told me about themselves. I was especially interested in Meru's tale about herself. What caught my attention was when she told me that she was a wingly.

"You are a… wingly?" I asked, not sure I had heard correctly.

"Yep." She said happily.

"And what of your parents? Are they winglies as well?" I pressed, not realizing how stupid a question it was.

"Yes. Mom and Dad are… were, winglies." I saw a tear form in her eye as she spoke.

"I am sorry. I didn't know. I won't mention your parents again." I said, realizing that her parents were dead.

"Thank you." She whispered softly, "But why do you ask that?"

"My mother was a wingly. My father was human. I am an outcast to both species. I'm half wingly, half man. That is what gives me lightning fast reflexes." I said softly, waiting for the others to leave me, just as every other person who learned the truth of me.

To my surprise, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Meru. She spoke softly. "Don't worry. You've got friends now." But as she said that, I saw Dart's back turned toward me and I had an uneasy feeling that he didn't agree. 

Afterward, I packed my few belongings quickly and made sure my new companions were prepared. While I waited for them to finish packing up, I set to the task of polishing the Diamond Star. I read yet again the inscription upon the sword, including the one that's meaning eluded me still. I understood most of it but the one phrase made no sense, for the Diamond Star had not been forged in it. The words of the sword read, 'Blood of the Angel from heavens above. Blood of the Devil from the darkest hells. Blood of the Earth from its fiery core. Blood of the Void, the center of nothingness.' The last, confusing phrase read, 'Blood of the Dragon, the Almighty Power. Together, these bloods unleash the ultimate Diamond Star.' The Diamond Star had never been forged in such a substance. It has never fought against such a power. No Dragon has ever come into contact with it.

I pushed the thoughts from my mind as the others finished packing. Dart spoke up first. "Where are we going?"

I turned to him slowly and spoke quickly as always. "A sacred spot to my family. We are known as the Dragon Keepers. For generations we have guarded the sacred grounds of the Dragon Graveyard. Deep within lies the Dragon of Time. It is capable of seeing the future, present and past. It will tell us what we need to destroy the monster."

"Ok. We'll be ready to go in a second. But I need to talk to the others." Dart said to me, gathering the other travelers with him.

They walked several yards away before Dart spoke to them. Even though I wasn't trying to hear them, my sensitive ears and their loud voices made it difficult to not hear.

"Guys, let's face it. We don't know anything about him, he is a powerful swordsman and he isn't human or wingly. How do we know we can trust him?" I heard Dart whisper.

"You're just saying that because he's cuter than you!" Meru said loudly.

Kongol than spoke up. "Kongol remember Doel's dream. A world where all species equal. Kongol thought you be strong leader and fight for that. Kongol wrong."

Meru spoke again in an overly irritated voice. "Look at me! I'm a wingly! Does this mean you don't trust me?!"

"I trust you. It's just…" Dart muttered.

Meru interrupted him. "And what about Haschel, Miranda, Rose?! Do you not trust them?!"

"I, I do. I tru…" Dart began, but Meru interrupted him again.

"So why don't you trust him?! He's just a mix! It's not his fault! I trust him!" Meru began to calm down. "I'm willing to be his friend. Will you?"

Haschel spoke, "I'm not choosing sides now. I'll wait this out and decide if he's really trustworthy when the time comes."

It was the same with the others, except for Dart, who still didn't trust me. It didn't effect me much though. I'm used to being tossed around like that, having no one trust me. But this was different. I have one person who is willing to stand by me.

We journeyed on through the darkness of the night. I was walking behind the others when Meru doubled back and walked beside me. "Thanks." I mutter quietly.

"For what?" Meru asked.

"For what you said back at the camp." I replied.

"You heard the whole thing, didn't you." She almost laughed.

"What does it matter to you?" I asked.

"Please Redblaze, don't act so mean! I'm willing to give you a chance. Don't make me look bad to the others.

"Fine. I meant to ask, how do you know?" I spoke slowly, trying to figure out how to speak to a 'friend'.

"I'm a wingly. I have good ears too, you know." Meru smiled.

"You're the first person who hasn't acted the way Dart acts towards me. You're the first to call me a friend. I'm not sure I understand the words but, thank you." My words rebounded in my mind. Friend… Thank you? These are the first times I've ever used these words. And yet, they felt right for this occasion.

Meru's blush was easy to see even in the darkness of the night. "It's just… I see something special in you. And it's not right for Dart to act the way he did. No matter how much stress he is under."

"Why is he under stress?" I asked, observing the tired form of Dart.

"Rose nearly died before you came to. I think he loves her, but with him, I'm never sure." Meru told me quietly.

"I see. I now understand why he feels this way toward me. It must have been the Diamond Star that did it. It was a blow from my own hands." I felt sick, knowing I had nearly cost the life of one of this group.

"It's not your fault. I trust you and want to be your friend, even after you were forced to attack me. I can feel the power in you. Will you be my friend?" Meru sounded hopeful as she said it.

I sighed. "I suppose I could be your 'friend'. You'll be my first." 

She jumped up with a smile on her face. She quickly hugged me before running up and making sure everyone knew what I said. I just stood there. Did she just… hug me? 

I put the thought out of my mind and continued walking. I watched as Dart stumbled ahead of me under the weight of his pack. I took the pack from his hands and continued on carrying both packs. How could I have been beaten by such weakness? 

We walked until morning when the first sign of something appeared. In an instant I knew something was not right. I grabbed Dart and tossed him into a hiding place off to the side of the road before grabbing Meru and pulling her with me. The others jumped down and I felt a cold shiver run through me. Something was definitely not right. As I looked over the side of the road, I saw a thick, black fog. It crept forward along the path, engulfing everything it passed in total darkness. It surrounded the countryside, trapping us. I slowly reached my hands out into the fog. I pulled them back slowly.

"It seems to be alright. Don't let your guard down. I feel a strong evil in it." I said as I stepped cautiously into the mist.

The others followed close behind. With each step I took, I felt something drawing closer. Suddenly I heard a noise. It was like the hiss of a snake but I had also heard the sound of footfalls followed by a blood-curdling scream. I realized it was heading toward us. I dove for a hole in a nearby tree. The others hid alongside me. I watched as two gigantic, bloody, clawed feet walked past. I held my breath as the footsteps dissipated into the mist. When they were gone, I slow moved toward the hole.

"Be careful." Meru whispered as I stuck my head out the hole. 

Suddenly, a monstrous beast's head lashed out at me. I dove back in and drew the Diamond Star. "Break out the back! We're all dead if we stay in here!" I rammed the back of the tree and broke through. 

We ran along the path as the beast tried to pull its head out of the hole. It escaped and ran at us faster than any creature I'd ever seen, save one. I saw its target as it raised its claw at Dart. I dove and blocked the blow with the Diamond Star. The beast gave a roar of anger as the others turned to face it. It slashed at me and I dodged around the claw. 

I got the first good look at its head. It had a pair of blood red eyes that flashed with rage. Two slits in its face made up its nostrils. It had a wide mouth with hundreds of razor sharp teeth that looked like they could cut through anything. Its head was shaped like a snake. Behind it, I saw a glint of a scorpion like tail. It had a foot long blade attached to the tail. Its claws were stained with blood not from any of our bodies. I decided it had caused that scream we heard. It flicked its double pronged tongue at me and I stared into the red eyes, temporarily forgetting the meaning of fear.

It slashed at me once more with those bloody claws. I narrowly dodged the slash that would have surely killed me. I slashed out in an elegant arch and slammed the butt of the Diamond Star into its chest. It slashed out again and I experienced a feeling of fear when the Diamond Star flew from my hands. 

Rose attempted to hit the beast, but was thrown back with a powerful blow. The beast aimed a deadly blow at Dart and I once again sprang into action. Without the Diamond Star in my hand, I had to resort on my secret art. I punched my fist into my palm and threw my hands out to stop the attack. I conjured a shield to surround Dart and I as the beast hammered blow after blow at us. 

I timed my move perfectly. It attacked and I spun around to land a deadly accurate kick to the face. I spun and dodged the tail blade and flipped backward, kicking it in the face before I flung myself into the air again and came down kicking. I spun and kicked again before doing a front flip, bringing my fist down through my target. It was severely dazed through the whole technique. 

I quickly ran to the Diamond Star and picked it up. I ran at the beast and slashed. It was critically wounded now. 

I raised the blade and took each end in one hand. "Diamond Star Wind!" The Diamond Star flashed a bright blue and glowed brighter and brighter. Finally, I slashed it through the air and connected with the beast. A powerful wind flew from the blade and ripped the beast apart.

I took out a small cloth and wiped the blood from the Diamond Star. I turned to Dart and spoke with disgust. "You are clearly not as powerful as I had thought. I have saved your life countless times today and I do not see how you managed to defeat my body on the mountain. You are not half the fighter I am."

I was surprised when Rose slapped me across the face. "You're right! Dart isn't half the fighter you are! He's twice the fighter you are! He gave all his strength to me so that I might live! I owe him everything! He is brave enough to give his life for his friends!" I felt my cheek softly and sighed. 

"I suppose I should not have insulted Dart. You are right. I am not brave enough to give my life for anyone. I am merely brave enough to protect them. I am not brave enough to give my life for them. But it matters not. I will refrain from any further comments."

I strode off in the direction of the path, listening intently for any other noises. Meru spoke to me again as we walked. "Their right. Please, don't lose your temper with Dart again. You won't gain anyone else's trust if you do."

"You mean you don't dislike me?" I asked, amazed that my brash manner hadn't lost the only friend I had.

"Nah. You can't get rid of me that easily." Meru laughed.

As we walked, the mist got thicker. What was this mist? I felt a sudden prickle of fear run up my spine. I felt like something was watching me. Was that the wind? Was that the scratching of trees? 

I turned suddenly as I saw a glow out of the corner of my eye. I drew the Diamond Star as a black form appeared. I had no time to react. A bright beam of energy surrounded the figure before blasting at me. I was caught off guard and I felt amazing pain wash through me. I collapsed under the non-stop energy. The world darkened around me as I heard a high, cold laughter that I recognized, but hadn't heard in years.

I felt soft, gentle arms grab me and heard the fast running of feet. I saw a bright light through my closed eyes. I suppose the others transformed so they could flee faster. I felt heat from the explosions I heard around me. I felt the arms carrying me give out and I fell unconscious as I hit the ground.

As I slept, I had a dream. I was standing in total darkness. Around me was nothing but void. I saw a bright light in the distance suddenly. It flew toward me and spoke. 

"Red, is that you? You have grown much." The light spoke with a firm but soft male voice.

"F, father? Why did you disappear? Where did you and mother go? Why did you leave me alone?" I spoke of the things that helped lead me down the path I am on.

Another bright light appeared and a lighter, more feminine voice spoke. "I am sorry Red. Someday we will meet face to face. But as of now, we know not if we are even alive. I would have given anything to remain with you. I'm so sorry. Remember Red, we love you. If you strive to do everything to the fullness of your potential, you will succeed."

The voice faded and the lights flew farther away from me. I ran toward them, not willing to let them go. "Father! Mother!" The lights flew out of sight and I collapsed.

I felt a damp coldness over my chest and groaned with pain as my eyes opened and adjusted. I was in some sort of tent. Meru was gently rubbing my chest with a wet cloth. Rose brought her a fresh cloth and she noticed my eyes.

"Good, you're awake. We should be moving faster in a bit. Meru, you stay here and help Redblaze." Rose ordered Meru.

As soon as I found my voice I asked, "Meru, what happened?"

"I don't know for sure. It was all a blur before I was knocked out. This man in black clothes, just like yours, attacked you. You had fallen, I transformed and grabbed you. We were flying away when he fired a blast that hit me. I was unconscious after that."

I felt an impulse of worry. "Are you alright?"

"It takes more than some magic tricks to stop me." Meru said loudly. Haschel gave a loud cough that sounded like 'Yeah right.'.

After a while, I asked, "Where are we?" 

"Um… uh… I don't know. Hey Haschel, where are we?" Meru called.

"That's easy. We are right here." Haschel joked to her.

"I mean location, Haschel." Meru laughed.

"That's easy too. We are… Hey, Dart. Where are we?" Haschel scratched his head as he spoke.

"I don't know. I didn't pay much attention as we ran. Ask Rose." Dart still had a look of utter pain on his face. I can't imagine how much Rose means to him that he is willing to go through that pain for her.

"We are approximately five miles south of the Barrens in Tiberoa. You've been unconscious for several days. We came here on a hunch." Rose replied after I asked her.

"South of the Barrens! How long have we been here?!" I asked frantically.

"Since last night. Why? Meru replied.

"There is no time to explain! We must leave, now!" I tested my legs and stood. I quickly grabbed my cotton shirt and armor and put them on. I threw on my robe and grabbed the Diamond Star and unsheathed it. "Follow me!"

We ran from the tent, leaving behind most of our supplies. We had gone no more then thirty feet when I heard the sound from beneath the sand of the desert. As I turned I saw the thing I feared. A giant beast shot out of the earth in an explosion. The entire camp had been destroyed. 

Its eyes were red as the blood of a young girl's neck. Its teeth sparkled with saliva as it expected a tender, juicy meal. It had two horns shaped like drills, which it used to burrow its way beneath us. It stood near ten feet tall on its reptilian legs that seemed to be jointed backwards. Each arm ended in a sinister looking blade that reached three feet.

I ran before seeing that Meru was just standing there, a look of terror on her face. I saw why. The beast had seen us. Its target… Meru. It raced across the wasteland at high speed, faster than we could run. I understood Meru's fear. Anyone who had to look on as this beast ran towards them would freeze as well. But I had learned to never show my fear in any way. 

I put on a burst of speed and knocked Meru out of the course of the beast. Surprised, it halted ten feet from me. I raise the Diamond Star, praying for its strength. The beast hesitated no longer and it launched itself at me. I blocked the blow and slid back across the loose sand.

I stared into those blood red eyes and felt fear in them. Not from the beast itself, but from what it lived off of. I saw Meru's fear inside those eyes. I felt the anger well in me. This beast, the Ragnarok, is the only beast that ever truly scared me. But now that my only friend had been its target, I stared into its eyes with determination.

Meru ran to me and put a hand my shoulder. I turned to her. "No! Run! Just make sure you survive! Go to the Barrens!" I handed her my sacred necklace with a cross upon it. "You'll know what to do with it when you get there!" She didn't move. "Please, Go!" She gave me one last look before finally obeying my order.

With one last look to say goodbye, I ran at the Ragnarok with the Diamond Star held high.

I ran with all the strength I could muster. I felt totally weakened still. I looked back as Redblaze fought against the monster until he was out of sight. We slowed down after a bit and walked toward the Barrens. 

I looked at the tears in Meru's eyes as she walked slowly. I walked to her and attempted to comfort her. "I'm sorry Meru. I'm sorry he stayed behind like that."

"No you're not! You're glad! You hated him! If you had agreed to be his friend and not his enemy, he might have stayed with us! He gave his life for us! Do you trust him now?!" Meru yelled at me with tears in her eyes.

I remained silent. She's right. I didn't care if he died or not. I hate myself for thinking that way. How cruel was I? 

Rose came to me and gently took my hand as if to show me that I'm not hated by everyone. I walked slowly with the others as we entered the Barrens. Meru held tightly to the cross that Redblaze had given her. I just can't imagine how she could care for him so much in such a short amount of time. I looked at Rose and decided that I couldn't talk.

We stepped onto a stone plateau and looked around. Twilight was falling on this world that seemed so unfriendly lately. We began to set up a camp and I made a small fire from the few pieces of wood we had in our packs. I sat near it for a bit with Rose right beside me. Haschel and Miranda sat on another side of the fire, Kongol and Albert sat on another side, and Meru sat on the last side, an empty seat right beside her. 

I stared into the fire and thought. I feel that I have seen the last of that man. Surely that beast had killed him with one blow. I can imagine the fight. Redblaze had probably put up a good fight, landing a few blows. But the monster must have ripped him to shreds with those claws.

As if having read my mind, Meru burst into a new set of tears. I hope she gets over it soon though. Seeing her depressed and crying gets the rest of us sad. She's always so cheerful. Now, the one that's always the happiest is in tears. It makes us feel even worse about Redblaze.

Before long, she and the others went to claim the spots on the ground to sleep, leaving Rose and I alone. "Dart, I still love you. I'll always love you. I love you even more after all that you did for me. But I am greatly sorrowed. Look at Meru. She's crushed. Her best friend is dead. All her friends in the forest are dead. She grew a strong friendship with Redblaze, and it was shattered."

"Rose." I whispered, moving my hand to her cheek, turning her face to look at me, moving so that our faces were a mere inch apart. 

"Y, yes Dart?" She whispered quietly.

"I love you." I gently close the inch and felt our lips touch. There was no feeling of total pain this time. Only pleasure. I felt her love down to my very core. "I love you." I repeated as I took a small breath of air and deepened the kiss.

I heard a slight laugh and we quickly broke the kiss to see Haschel watching us. I saw Meru off to the side, looking at us with a sad expression on her face. Haschel just shook his head and walked off to the side of the camp.

The fire went out twenty minutes later. We had all tried to comfort Meru with very little luck. Mostly we got a good tongue-lashing. After a while, I proposed that we get to sleep. "We should sleep in pairs. The night is freezing here in the desert lands."

Albert, Kongol, Miranda and Haschel did not seem to like the sleeping arrangements. Kongol and Albert slept side by side. The same was with Haschel and Miranda. Rose and I were content with sleeping side by side. But Meru… she just moved to the side of the camp and curled into a ball to block the wind. After awhile, my tiredness overpowered my guilty conscience and I fell asleep.

When I awoke the next morning, I found Meru in the worst fit of tears I had seen her in yet. When I asked her why, she thrust a piece of cloth into my hands. It was a black cloth, splattered with blood. I turned it over and saw the markings on it that read, 'R.B.' It was embroidered just the way Redblaze's robes had been embroidered.

"I'm sorry you had to find this. We have to accept that he's gone." I said quietly, feeling the pain and remembering when Rose had died.

"I know. I'm going to keep this cloth, to remind me of him. And I'm going to keep the blood on it, to remind me that he died to save our lives." Meru didn't seem to be getting over losing him. But at least she hadn't screamed at me.

The other awoke soon after and we began to walk off the plateau. Suddenly, I tripped over a strange rock. As I inspected it closer, I saw a picture of a dragon breathing fire on a cross. I turned to Meru, whose eyes had gone wide as the cross in her hand glowed bright and flew into the stone. A loud sound was heard as the featureless wall in front of us opened. I walked in followed by the others. The door shut behind us.

The inside looked like a graveyard alright. Dragon skeletons littered the landscape. Light came from fluorescent fungus that grew along the walls. We sat down to contemplate what to do next. Do we continue on, or think of something else? Our conversation was interrupted by a loud bang on the door.

"It's back! It's come to finish the job!" I panicked at the sound. The Ragnarok hadn't killed enough with just Redblaze. It came to kill us too!

But then Dart talked some reason into me. "I'm sure it hasn't followed us. It wouldn't be able to follow us across the rock. It wouldn't be able to track us. It's probably some traveler who found out about this place." But his voice sounded uneasy. 

I cautiously stood up and walked to the door. I took the huge handle in one hand and pulled. I held my breath as the door was opened fully. I saw the figure outside the door. I saw his ebony robes, cut in numerous places. His blood seeped from each hole in the robes. I ran to him and held him tight. "You're alive!" I felt the tears in my eyes and felt them be soaked up by his black robes. I didn't care if he saw that I was crying. I was just overjoyed to see him.

I heard him whisper quietly in my ear. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Can you ever forgive me, a worthless swordsman?"

I could only nod. I was so happy to see him once again. "I… I thought you were dead. Especially after I found this." I showed him the bloody cloth.

"I almost was. But we can't stay much longer. Hurry, we must go. I have no time to explain." He took my hand gently and we ran from the door, which had closed again. 

I soon found out why we had to run. The door was suddenly destroyed as a towering creature stood before us. The Ragnarok. "I couldn't kill it. I only managed to escape when it had been momentarily blinded by a sandstorm. The sandstorm must have weakened it though. We may be able to kill it." Redblaze shouted out as he drew his sword.

The beast looked at us and I was determined that no matter what, I won't run. If I die, I want to die with the best of my friends. 

The huge beast ran at us and Dart dove to the ground to avoid being speared upon the end of the horns. I heard Dart give a cry of pain when the beast ran past him. I saw his leg. It was severely injured. He had been stepped on. Somehow, even after the weakening effect of his sacrifice, he had survived.

I raised my dragon spirit and transformed. I felt the strength and power of the dragon flow though me. Everyone, other then Dart, transformed as well. I flew at the beast and swung my hammer around at it. It was dazed for maybe a half-second tops. It countered my blow with an awesome hit. I felt incredible pain as I flew through the air. The pain was then magnified as I slammed into a wall and collapsed. I couldn't stand, couldn't even fly. I just lie there, just able to watch the battle.

Redblaze saw me fall. "Meru! Void Wave!" 

I watched as he spun his sword around in many elegant swings, each connecting with the Ragnarok. He gave a final swing before flying backward, sword pointed forward. As he backed away, a wave of nothingness washed through the area. It decimated the beast, causing it to breath labored. 

But as it did, it launched itself at Redblaze. Redblaze was smashed to the ground, where he narrowly missed being run through by one of the horns. He was then smashed deeper into the ground as a monstrous foot fell upon him.

"No! Redblaze!" Somehow I found the energy to stand. What was this feeling that gave me strength when he needed help? 

I spiraled at the Ragnarok and landed a powerful blow. I spun around again and smashed it with my hammer. I brought my hammer down again before landing a blow with the dragon spirit. The Ragnarok gave a cry of pain before I slammed my hammer into its head once more, killing it. 

I landed and transformed again. I ran to Redblaze, who had transformed back. I took his hand in mine and looked into the two narrow slits that were his eyes. "Redblaze… Please, don't die now. I need you." 

"M, Meru? Please… come closer." I moved closer so that I was a foot over him. "There's… something… I can't… live without." 

"What is it?! What do you need?!" I asked. I can't lose him. I can't let him do what Rose did to Dart.

"Please. You must… get me to… the Dragon of… Time. Please hurry." Then he fell silent. 

"I understand." I whispered through my tears. Then I turned to the others. "We have to get to the dragon." 

I ran with newfound strength. I carried his still body down the oath and the others followed me. Every step I took, I felt his heartbeat slow down. I raced ahead, tears feeling my eyes. Then I saw it. An ancient dragon! I ran to it and laid Redblaze down before it. I hadn't said a word, but it seemed to understand. I blew a white flame upon Redblaze and I nearly yelled in surprise. But when the flame disappeared, Redblaze opened his eyes and stood.

I ran to him and hugged him once again. "Thank God that 'twas you who was my only friend. You've saved my life with your courage. Thank you." For the first time, he returned my embrace. He patted my back softly as I cried into his shoulder. 

The others ran into the chamber and backed up as they looked at the dragon. Redblaze let go of me and turned to the dragon. 

"Great Dragon of Time! It is I, The Guardian who humbly stands before you. I wish to ask thee for wisdom above my knowledge. Please, I ask thee about my past, the present and my future." Redblaze spoke with utmost respect.

The great dragon lifted its head and spoke. "Of your past, I can tell you this. Your battles to find your parents have not been in vain. You have grown up with little knowledge of who you are. You are more than you seem. Of the future, I see little. A mist covers my vision. The future is unwritten. But if you fail in your quest, the world is nothing. If you succeed, the world is clouded. It will be what you make of it. And of the present, you come seeking the power to destroy the Black Monster. I can give you the secret. It is…" 

Suddenly I heard a deafening bang. A figure clad in a black robe appeared. I recognized it as the attacker from the mist. A bright glow surrounded him and I shout out as the beam discharged. Smoke filled the chamber. When it cleared, the man was gone.

"No!" I heard Redblaze yell.

I turned to see the ancient dragon's dead form upon the rock on which it slept its eternal sleep. A small light lifted from it. 

It spoke. "I am the spirit of the Dragon of Time. My body has died and my spirit weakens. Know this. Guardian, when you battle the Black Monster, should you be struck down by a trusted item, you will rise and become more powerful than ever imaginable. Farewell."

He light flew into the heavens and Redblaze fell to his knees. For the first time, he had tears in his eyes. "I have failed." He spoke quietly, every word shaking with anger. He struck himself with his fist. "I failed! I have failed my calling! I am disgraced in the eyes of my father, my father's father, and the rest of my ancestors from 10,000 years ago! I failed the Dragon of Time! It has been killed before my eyes!"

I grabbed his arms tightly to stop him from hitting himself. "Please stop! It's not your fault!" I spoke to him in a caring manner.

"It is! My role in life is to be the Guardian! I am to lay down my life for the Dragon of Time!" He began thrashing about, attempting to free himself from my grip.

I wrapped my arms around him, greatly calming him. "Please stop." I sobbed, "I can't bare to see you hurt yourself like this. You may have failed your purpose in life but you have a new purpose."

He calmed down slightly. "What is my purpose then?"

"You have to… to…" I thought for a second before adding, "protect me."

"You… trust me with your protection? I can't take the responsibility. If I failed to protect you, I would take my own life. How can I live like that?"

"You can protect me. I know deep inside, you would save my life if I came to danger. You have a purpose. Will you take it?" I asked him softly.

"I… I… yes. I will accept and embrace my purpose." I held him tighter as he spoke. 

Before long, we stood and walked slowly from the cave. We boarded a small ship that carried us to Mille Seseau after an uneventful travel period of a few days. Before long I saw the smoking peak of the huge mountain that housed the destructive power of the Black Monster.

I looked over at Meru, Dart, Rose, and the others. Each wore an expression of fear and hope. I looked at the many billows of smoke that rose from it. I thought of the smoke that will soon rise from the heat of the power used in the battle. Suddenly I felt an intense pain in my head as we neared the crown of the mountain.

I felt my consciousness leave me as I fell. I saw Meru's stunned expression as she looked into my closing eyes. 

As I slept, I felt as though I knew what was happening. I watched in my mind what was happening around me. The Black Monster… It attacked them! And I was powerless. I watched as the Black Monster ruthlessly threw them about, but was relieved to see Meru's form untouched. The battle was gruesome though. Blood of my comrades splattered the battlefield. I nearly screamed in my mind as the Black Monster conjured a blade in its dragon-like hand and ran through Meru.

My eyes flew open as I saw that. I saw the battle swirling around me. I saw the Monster slide its blade from Meru's body and she fell to the ground. I was at her side in a flash. 

"Meru! Meru… please God no!" I felt the tears well in my eye as she gave a labored breath. I looked into her bright blue eyes that had once been full of life and youth. 

She reached up and gently touched my face. For the first time, I actually felt the softness of her hand. "Red…" She began, using my true name. "Red… p, please… *cough* I… l, l, love you." Her eyes blinked slowly and looked at me again.

"Oh God no! Meru, don't die! I need you with me! I love you!" She coughed and blood splashed onto her cheek. She nodded slowly and blinked again before her eyes went wide and rolled into the back of her head. I held her lifeless body close to me and silently vowed to avenge her death.

I turned slowly toward the Monster of pure evil. Evil powerful enough to take the life of an innocent girl. I drew the Diamond Star and felt the hatred in my heart as I advanced on the Black Monster. Rose and Dart had been knocked unconscious but were still breathing. 

I ran at the Monster, the lone fighter left standing. I slashed at the beast and connected with a staggering blow. I spun again and slashed through the beast. I drilled my sword into his body and withdrew in one silent and precise movement. I blocked as another blow was thrown at me and flipped over his head, spinning into a spiral that made him stagger. But then he aimed a blow at me that threw me to the ground. The Diamond Star clattered across the ground and landed at his feet.

Without my weapon, I was sure to be killed. He picked up the Diamond Star and felt the craftsmanship of the blade. He wielded it like an expert and flew at me. As the Diamond Star ran through me, I felt an awesome power flow into me. I saw light flash around me and felt like I was turning into a dragoon. But I was growing much larger. I felt wings burst from my back. I felt my hands lengthen and turn into claws. I surveyed myself. I was a… dragon. 

I heard a sudden voice in my head that sounded like my father's. "Red, you unleashed us. You are a dragonling. You are the Dragonling of the Diamond Star. Your mother and I must go now. We will await you."

I felt them leave me and felt the power well within me. I was the true Diamond Star. I looked at Meru's fallen form. I shall avenge you!

I flew at the Black Monster and launched all I had into my assault. He was blown back with the ferocity of my blow. The battle continued like this. I was unstoppable. That is, until he raised a staff that was patched together. The Dragon Block Staff. I felt weakened below my normal levels. He struck me and I was thrown back. 

I struggled to fight back, but was being totally overpowered. Suddenly I saw nine bright lights. They rose up from each of the dragon spirits and flew into my body. I felt a huge power inside me. I launched what I knew would be my final attack as he thrust the Diamond Star's shell at me. It pierced my heart as I killed the Black Monster and I fell. An explosion ripped through the mountain and I could easily see that Meru, Dart, Rose, and myself were not going to leave. 

I turned back into a human and felt my body become a lifeless shell. In my last breath, I whispered, "Goodbye, everyone. Meru, father, mother, I'm coming to you." I breathed a silent breath out and felt my heart stop.

Narrators POV

(Six months later)

Albert, Miranda, Kongol, and Haschel had lived. Albert had returned to his wife where a funeral was held and a memorial built for four of the strongest and bravest fighter known. Crystal had prayed to Dart, thanking him for returning her husband to her.

Miranda did the same as she arrived to take on her duties of a Sacred Sister once again. Haschel and Kongol returned to the village of Rouge. There they discovered that the black mist they had been in remained. 

And hidden in shadows, a mysterious cloaked figure received a large sum of money. For even though he hadn't killed the Black Knight, the Knight was dead. He had completed his mission.

That was fun! I liked writing that! Once again, I would like to point out that I just put Meru-Redblaze there because it's a strange pairing. I always appreciate reviews. Anyways, if I get enough reviews, I write more fics. I mean, that mist is still there, and what about that mysterious man? Well anyway, I hope you liked the fic. I got kind of choked up at the end. Thanks again. This is Redblaze, signing off. 

****

Thanks to

Dark-Crystal Dragoon for allowing me to use Crystal.

Myself for allowing me to use Redblaze.

Myself for writing this fic.

Anyone else who contributed in any way, shape, or form.


	2. Two Are One

Once again, I have returned to bless all of you with the wonders of my writings. (Coughing is heard that sounds strangely like 'Yeah right.') O.k. Fine. Just R&R. I don't know what I was on when I wrote this. Just read the thing and please tell me if you like it. And without further ado, let the story begin!

P.S. Lavitz lives!!!!!!!!!! Mwahahahahahaha *Hacking Cough* (Although he doesn't play a big part in this chapter)

Seven united led to his fall,

Seven divided, he conquers all.

As fate was once severed by heroes brave,

Once again he shall rise to drive them to their grave.

Black as the Hell that it did create,

Strong as the light that made its fate.

Seven alone can't undo this power,

United, nine, defeat this Black Monster.

I remembered the old prophesy that once held so much meaning to each and every one of the chosen few, the Dragon Knights, the Dragoons. And as I stood over the large graves, I remembered how much that prophecy had cost us. How much it had damaged the once proud and unbeatable Dragoons.

But it also showed us the true strength we possessed. Very little compared to what kind of strength fulfilled the prophecy. It was the strongest power of all. Stronger than fire, water, wind or thunder. Stronger than any darkness or light that could be made. It was fulfilled with the love of a swordsman. 

Now I stand before the grave of four fallen heroes who fought against fate and damnation, and were killed. But they died with their mission complete and I know they had no regrets.

I read the first cross that lay embedded within the earth. It read, 'Here lies Dart Feld. A man who fought with strength and fought only to protect the ones he loved. His loyalty was unmatched through everything he went through. He willingly risked his life for a friend and gave his all to his friends.'

I nodded slowly and past my grandson's grave. I moved to the next one. 'Here lies Rose ????. A woman who was misunderstood throughout her life. She fought against her will and was forced to brandish another's sins. She was forced to be called a monster wherever she traversed. She gave her life not once, but twice for this world.' (No body ever figured out her last name.)

I past the grave that belonged to my Grandson's best friend and most loved one. I looked at the next grave and felt a tear as I thought of how young the owner had been. 'Here lies Meru Jones. A young girl who showed much bravery in the face of impossible odds. She stood tall through strife and loss. She strived to prove herself to the world and did when her life was mercilessly taken while she fought for the world. Here lies a brave young wingly.' (Just made the last name up)

I looked upon the last grave in the row. I thought of the young man who occupied it. I had never truly known the man. But from the short amount of time I knew him, I could tell his bravery and strength rivaled that of Dart. He had something special about him, for he won the heart of Meru in such a short time. And he gave his life so that at least some of the seven fighters that accompanied him could live. His cross was void of everything but his name, for nothing but his name was known of him, and only his name because I contributed the information. 'Red Blaze' I am at least comforted knowing that he and Meru are together and Dart and Rose are as well. 

I looked up to the heavens and thought of the four of them. If only they were here. We'd be able to push back the mist that is slowly covering the world with horrible evil. I sat for maybe two hours, looking at the graves of some of my dearest friends, before I finally left them. I would journey back to Rouge and continue to live my life.

I awoke and felt a strange warmth around me. I looked to find a young girl with her arms around me. I chuckled as I gently nestled the young girl's head against my chest. I call her young because that's what she appears to be, young. But I know that just as I am… was a half-wingly, her status or what was her status, of wingly meant she should have lived longer that a normal human. But it wasn't supposed to happen this way. 

Even after a year of my eternal sleep, I couldn't get used to not having blood coursing through my body. And she didn't deserve to die. I still hadn't forgiven myself for failing the second purpose I was given. 

Sure, heaven is a great place, but still. It can't make me forget the feeling I got whenever she had put her arms around me. God knows I loved the way her skin felt against my arms. I love her so much but… how can I prove my love to her in heaven. It's hard to make much in the way of physical contact when you're an angel.

I saw Dart holding Rose close to him and he seemed content, sleeping with her in his arms. But I… I longed for more. I longed to feel the softness of the wind blowing through my silvery hair. I needed to feel the tickle of a butterfly as it landed on your arm. I dreamed of the kiss Meru and I had never been able to share. It pained me when I thought of the day I had realized my love for her. It had been such a short time before I joined her here.

(Flashback)

"Meru! Please God no!" I had said as I surveyed the bloody wound where the Black Monster had jammed his blade through her.

She barely breathed as she spoke. "R, Red?" She whispered my real name, "P, please… s, s, survive… I, I… l, love you…" She closed her eyes slowly.

"God no! Meru! Don't die! I love you! I need you!" I yelled to her as her eyes opened and went wide before rolling into the back of her head.

"I will avenge you." I whispered.

(End Flashback)

Such acts of love such as a kiss was hard to perform without a body. Sure, I'm alright without a body and without pain. But I was filled with a new pain. I'm glad that I can at least hold her sweet form in my arms. 

I could sense the prayers of many of our old companions. But one that wasn't of our old friends kept prodding me. I kept hearing the words, "Forgive me." I knew who it was. It was someone who I had only glimpsed a year ago. Yet his name, I had vowed never to speak. 

I now knew many things I hadn't before. I knew the full power of the dragon I had become during my last living moments. I knew that my… my assailant was more than what he seemed. But what he was remained unknown to me. 

But I am no more. I now am just a famed warrior who couldn't survive to become great. It's ironic that I, known by many as the Black Knight, would be swallowed by this blackness. Heaven is just too… good. I wish so bad to live once again and feel pain and joy and the sun warming your body as you travel and to have Meru beside me. That is what I want most.

Just then, the sleeping form a Meru woke up in my arms. She smiled at me and stood. Dart and Rose had awoken as well. Even though I've known them for over a year, the only one I ever opened my heart and soul to and told things about my self to was Meru. I didn't speak to any other than Meru unless I couldn't avoid it. For instance, Dart seemed to want me to meet a long gone friend of his. I would have refused, but Meru prodded me to go. So I met this man named Lavitz. He seemed shocked to find Dart dead. But enough about such meaningless things.

I remembered the time I came here. Meru and Dart seemed troubled to know they were dead. Rose and I didn't understand this. I learned of Rose's 10,000 years of killing the MoonChild. I could see why death didn't effect her. I for one didn't have a problem accepting death either. I had promised myself that when my time comes, I would embrace death. That is what I did. I had managed to comfort Meru after much time. She hadn't cried for her own life being gone. She had cried for mine. I told her that I didn't care if I was dead and she seemed to calm down significantly. 

But today, I could feel something happening on the world. Something that was powerful enough to even be felt by the dead. I felt a warmth enter my body, something that was strange to me after not feeling warmth or cold for a year. It felt uplifting and depressing at the same time. I suddenly realized why. In my mind I saw each of our bodies in the earth, perfectly preserved. I saw them one by one disappear. I felt Meru's arms disappear from mine as she faded away. Dart and Rose faded away shortly after. I felt a strange sensation as I saw my fingers start to disappear. I gave one last look at the heaven I had known before I too, vanished.

I awoke slowly to a weird sensation. I stood before falling on my face. I felt… what?! I felt blood! I felt a heartbeat! I felt… alive! I stood slowly again and managed to learn how to stand again. Around me, I saw four people with me. All were unconscious. Meru, Dart, Rose, and Dart's friend Lavitz. I ran to Meru's side and shook her. She opened her eyes and they went wide with shock.

"R, Red? (Meru uses his real name) Am I… alive? Are we alive?" Meru spoke hopefully.

I nodded slowly. "I think so. But how? Who?"

My question was quickly answered as I heard a cold voice behind me. "I have brought you back, old friend. Do you not recognize me?"

I turned and saw a man in black robes like mine. I reached into my robes by an instinct I hadn't lost from a year ago. I pulled out the Diamond Star and felt a wonder flow through me as I felt the magic in my hands. "You! How did you do this?!"

"My, you seem angry with me. Is it because I brought you back to life? Or do you still hold a grudge for all those times I proved that I am your better? If you must know, I brought you back with this." He chuckled darkly to himself as a small ball with many pieces fell from his hand.

"How… how did you get all the stardust pieces?" I asked quickly.

"I found a few, bought a few, stole a few when necessary. But my only wish were to bring you back so as to defeat you myself and earn the money I was paid." He smiled as he saw my anger rise. 

"You would betray me for money?! I should kill you right now! But I must ask. Why did you bring the others back as well?" I felt my anger welling ever higher. 

"'Tis not of your concern dear friend. But I am sorry to say, you can't have your revenge right now." He smoothly replied.

"Why is that?" I asked furiously.

He ignored my question before saying, "I eagerly await to meet you again face to face." With that said, he and the ball of stardust became transparent before disappearing. 

"He was a hologram." I muttered darkly.

"A holo-what?" Meru asked.

"He wasn't here to begin with. He was just projecting his figure." I answered her quietly.

Just then, Dart, Rose and Lavitz gained consciousness. Everyone, other than Rose, took time to learn to walk on earth again.

"Dart," Lavitz said after a while, "what's happened since I died?"

Dart explained all that had happened during the past six or seven years. It took much of the day and night fell just as Dart had finished.

"I see that a lot happened. I hope I hadn't caused you much grief after I died." Lavitz responded to Dart's story.

"It's all in the past. I don't know if it were being dead for a year, but I feel more mature and wiser than I had before. But how were we brought back to life?" Dart said quietly as we sat around the campfire.

"It was the power of the stardust. A old… friend of mine had collected the pieces. I do not know why he brought all of you back to life however." I responded.

Lavitz looked at me for a second before speaking. "Come to think of it, I don't believe I know you very well. I don't think I even got your name."

"It is for the best. The less you know about me, the better and longer you shall live. You are one of the few I shall allow to see my face. Do not ask for anymore information about me." I said as I stood and walked away from the fire and into the woods.

I sat on a small rock and looked up at the stars that so short a time ago, I had been looking down upon. I heard the soft crunching of leaves that signified someone had followed me. I made no objection, as I would recognize the soft footsteps anywhere.

"Red? Are you alright?" Meru whispered into my ears.

"No. I am troubled. Why did he bring us all back if he merely wanted to kill me. It makes no sense." I turned to look into her brilliant blue eyes.

"Who is he? I remember that he tried to kill us several times." Meru looked at me, puzzled.

"I'm sorry. I can't tell you. It will put you in more danger than you are right now with me. He wants to kill me himself and will kill anyone who stands in his way. He fights ruthlessly and will attempt to break me in anyway he can. Don't endanger yourself any further." I whispered to her.

I was surprised when I felt her lips touch mine. My surprise quickly turned to an awful feeling. I broke the kiss quickly and whispered furiously to her, "Meru! Please don't! If he knows how I feel towards you… you'll become a target. Please understand, I love you truly. But we mustn't express it until the danger has passed. Remember, from this point on, you'll be in danger as long as I am with you. Should something happen to me and I not be with you, live on for me. Please, we mustn't do anything like that until the danger has passed." 

I saw her disheartened figure nod slightly in the moon's silvery rays. I brushed my hand against her cheek to show her I still loved her. I held her tight before we walked back to camp. I did kiss her forehead softly, but nothing more. She fell asleep quickly as I nestled her head in my arms softly before whispering, "Goodbye… my love."

I awoke early in the morning, remembering one of the few bad things about living. You never seemed to get enough sleep. I ignored my sleepiness immediately when I saw Red's sleeping bag was empty. I walked to it and picked up a small envelope that held my name and picked up the red rose and what must have been the only picture of my dear Red in existence. 

I opened the letter slowly, eagerly waiting to see what was written to me. I let out a cry of shock as I read the letter. Tears brimmed my eyes as I finished the letter and fell to my knees.

The letter read:

My love, Meru,

It pains me remarkably to write this. I pray you will understand. I care for you so much that I am forced to leave you. If I were to stay by your side, you would be killed. By the time you read this, I shall be within the lands of Bales. I shall announce our return to life to Albert before I journey to the Death Frontier. You mustn't follow me. I wrote this as a letter to say goodbye. You may never see me again. And if you do see me, we shall probably meet as strangers, for it is my knowledge that love, even that of a family's, grow faint after time. Even after I have wrote these words of love growing faint, know this. My love for you shall never be forgotten. Someday, we will be together, once again united in either the goodness of Heaven, or the depths of Hell. I shall always remember you. Goodbye.

With Pain,

Red

For the next several days, I did nothing but cry for him. How could I live now? He had meant everything to me. He had been with me when I needed comforted. He had taken on impossible odds by himself so that our friends and I could escape. He gave his life for the world. And now… will I ever see him again?

The days and nights passed and I finally realized that he truly wasn't coming back to me. I felt my tears subside slowly but my heart still ached with the pain. I held tight to the rose and the picture that he had left me. I stood up one day much after I found the letter and I walked to the nearest town. The town of Seles. Dart and Rose had journeyed to find a place they could call home. They were lucky. They didn't have to part with each other, weren't forced to dream and wish and remember.

I felt the pain in my heart lessen as the years drug by. I matured both mentally and physically. Even though many young men who were very kind had asked me to go on a date with them, I couldn't bring myself to accept them. 

It was the celebration of my birth. I was visited by many friends, but none stayed with me. They merely came to call on me, wish me a good birthday, and they would leave me alone again. I laughed in irony at the thought of how parts of Red had brushed off on me. I was much less open since he left me. I bottled up my fear and torment until I couldn't take it anymore and I would cry for hours at a time.

I heard the rain begin to patter on the roof of the home I had built, wishing I weren't alone in it. I heard the thunder roll and saw the lightning flash across the skies from my lonely abode. I had silently climbed the stairs to my bedroom that seemed so spacious and empty. I cried myself to sleep as I thought of how much I wished Red was still with me.

I awoke suddenly in the middle of the night to the thunder echoing through my house. I felt a cold breeze and felt fear as I heard a barely audible footstep within my home. I crept to my bedroom door and peered into the darkened house.

My heart skipped a beat as I saw a figure in a jet-black robe. His hood was pulled up over his face. I was about to run to him when fear flooded into me. This wasn't Red. I can feel it. I crept back to find a place to hide as the figure ascended the stairs. I backed away as he threw open the door to my room and drew a wicked curved dagger. 

I backed further as he stepped toward me. I suddenly fell as I tripped over a small stool and I hit the ground. I backed up along the ground as his blade drew nearer. I felt the rush of cold air from an open window. I backed into a wall and curled up against it. I closed my eyes, knowing that if my dear Red had been killed by this man, I was coming to join him. 

The wind from the window intensified as if it had opened more or broke. I suddenly felt strong hands on my shoulders. In seconds, the blade would cut through my neck. I felt a tear fall. But what was this? The feeling I felt was not one of pain and death, but one of quick movement. I opened my eyes to see the man who held the dagger holding me. He had a blade that was of bluish color. Wait… he wasn't my attacker. Could it be?

He set me down and drew his blade. He slashed at the other man and two swords connected. The other man had somehow conjured a blade of blood red color. It glowed with a light to rival Red's blade. 

He slashed at Red's throat and red blocked. I felt a tear as Red cried out in pain as he received a deep blood wound. I heard a sharp sound and looked up to see the other man throw his dagger at Red. Red ducked and the dagger flew past him and hit the wall above my head. I reached up and grabbed the dagger, hoping for a chance to hit. 

I slid along the ground and got behind the unknown man. I was just about to fling the dagger into his shoulder when he spun and hit the side of my head with the flat of his blade. I skidded across the ground and tried to stand but was dazed. I heard the two men fighting and several yells of pain. I heard the sickening splashes of blood every now and then. I closed my eyes and suddenly felt strong arms grasp me. I prayed it was Red. 

"R, Red?" I stammered.

The figure holding me didn't seem affected by the name. He merely continued to run with me in his arms. I clung tight as he flipped over a bright blue ball of energy. It was he, wasn't it?

As we ran, I heard the other man yell loudly. "Remember Red! I was there when your parents died! It wasn't some fool after you who killed your father! 'Twas my blade that pierced his body!"

We made it out of town before the figure stopped. I could feel the anger built inside him. Red had never told me of his past. It was scary to think about what happened to Red that had turned him so far against people. He breathed heavily and it was obvious that he was wounded. Yet he didn't set me down. He closed his eyes and I felt a rush of energy and speed as we disappeared. When we reappeared, we were in a quiet house.

"Red?" I repeated myself, "Is that… you?"

The figure turned to me and slowly nodded. I felt joy flow through me. He returned at last. Yet something seemed different about him.

I looked at his figure and was startled by the amount of blood. His robes were torn in many places and blood splotched each cut. He was holding his hand firmly over his side and I could see the blood quickly covering his hand. I could sense something about him that I didn't recognize.

"Red, what's the matter? Are you all right?" I asked, wondering why he was so quiet.

He nodded again and left his hood over his face. He slowly removed his hand from his side and quickly covered his wound with a strip of cloth.

"Red… please, speak to me. I need to hear your voice." I pleaded with him.

"Meru… I'm sorry. I'm not the man you once knew. I have done something that I shall never be forgiven of." He spoke softly to me and I could feel the pain in his voice.

"What have you done? I can forgive you of anything." I whispered.

"I… I… I killed many people since we parted. Many of them were of innocent blood. I had listened to my… that man. I joined with him instead of opposed him. I endangered your life by telling how you had been with me." I felt his voice feel with anger towards himself.

"R, Red. I d, don't understand. Why?" I asked, confused.

"I don't know! God, I hate myself! If I hadn't had your memory to look back on, I would have killed myself! He tried to kill you! Because of me! How can you forgive that!?" He was infuriated with himself.

I held out my hand to his. "I won't believe that you killed those people out of your own free will. That is how I can forgive you. I never forgot you. I prayed to see you, feel you, love you. Please Red. Understand this. I still love you. You were wrong when you wrote that love always grows faint. Sometimes when you're apart, love just grows." I gently lifted his head , removed his hood, and embraced him gently. 

It was awkward seeing him, of all men, cry. But I fully understood it. He had a right to cry. I sat down upon a soft bed in the corner and had him sit beside me. I attempted to comfort him. I laid his head upon my shoulder and whispered comforting words into his ears.

I kissed his forehead gently and thought of the many years we had been apart. He stared into my eyes after a while and I could see the knowledge that I did forgive him don upon him. I lay down on the bed before pulling him close to me. I whispered certain things into his ears before I pulled the sheet of the bed over our heads. (No, they didn't do what I know all of you think they're doing)

It had been a total of five years since Redblaze had left Meru at the camp. After Lavitz had gone back to bales to be with his mother, Rose and myself began living peacefully in Rouge with my grandfather, who was especially surprised to see us alive. Haschel had eventually gotten over the surprise before he began to be his usual self. I remembered one conversation we had had while Rose was out.

"Dart," He had began, "when are you going to grow up? You got to do it sometime soon."

"I know. But you can't rush these things. I'm not sure I'm ready for it. And I'm really not sure about Rose. And where am I supposed to find something like that in Rouge?" I had replied.

"Here, take this one." He handed me a ring that my grandmother had given him. "Your grandmother would want you to have it." As if because of him giving me the ring, it began to rain more or less over him. "That woman." He muttered as he walked out of the rain.

It was the next day now and, even though I had many good chances, I didn't approach Rose with the ring. I wasn't ready for it. I just tucked the ring in a pouch in my pack and decided to ignore it until I was ready. 

It was that night when I heard some startling news. Seles had been burned to the ground the night before. Two figures in black had appeared and had a quick duel before one ran into a house. I thought of Meru and how she had gone to Seles. I hope she's all right. 

I knew that no matter how hard we try, we will never be able to enjoy a peaceful life. It will always be full of danger. As Seles was my second hometown, I had to go.

Rose and I packed up our few belongings and waved as we left for the boat. When we arrived at it, Haschel was already sitting in it.

"You didn't think you could go without me, did you?" He laughed.

"No. I was wondering if you would come with us." I replied before helping him with the boat.

We pushed off from the shore and sailed towards the lands of Serdio. As night fell, we finally realized how small the boat was. I didn't mind Rose lying on my chest, but Haschel was curled up on my feet, effectively blocking off the circulation.

We arrived near Seles after a few days of uneventful travels. We walked quickly and as the smoke from the town loomed up to where I could see, I broke into a run. I ran until I reached the outskirts of the town. I stopped and stared in anger. Seles… gone. I clenched my fists in anger as I saw an all too familiar slash upon the throat of one young girl. 

"How… How could he?!" I felt my anger rise. "How could he kill such youth?!" 

Than I saw something that made me gasp. The mysterious man didn't make the wound. No… there was Astasia poison in the wound. I had only seen the poison in one place other than books. The Diamond Star that Redblaze carried.

Rose realized this as well and came to my side. "Dart… our friend changed. There's nothing we can do. He didn't change because of the Black Monster this time. We have no choice… but to kill him."

I nodded. Than something donned on me. "Meru!"

I ran through the torn streets and climbed over the remains of Meru's door. I ran up the stairs to see that there had been a fight. Furniture was overturned and strewn across the floor. I stared in shock at the large amounts of blood on the floor. Blood was everywhere, even on the walls. A knife lay on the ground and a hole where the knife could have fit was in the wall. 

Then I saw the cloth. Black chunks of material lay on the ground. It was obvious a fight had broken out here, and the man wearing the robes was losing. Redblaze had definitely been here. I searched in vain for any sign of Meru. I found none. But I sensed something familiar to the north.

I walked past Rose and Haschel as they ran up the stairs. They turned to follow me and I was thankful that neither asked questions. I led them out of town and we eventually found ourselves in the exact spot where Rose and I had first met and she had saved my life from Fyerbrand. 

I looked up on the mountain above and saw a thin line of smoke. Rose, Haschel and I climbed higher and higher up the mountain until we had reached the source. A small cottage rested snuggly between the jagged rocks of the hill. 

I walked cautiously to the door and drew my blade. I listened at the door and heard naught but silence. I slowly pushed open the door and looked inside. A small table was in the center of the room. On top of it was a small candle. In the corner of the room was a small bed. I looked at the cabinet next to the bed. Above it was a small picture of… Meru.

I walked to the picture and examined it. This was the picture Meru had given Redblaze shortly before we fought the Black Monster. Haschel was looking at a few strange items that seemed to glow with magical energy. Rose noticed my attention on the picture and came to examine it.

"Does this mean… this is where he lives?" She asked.

I was about to answer when I saw something in the reflection of my sword. I spun around and blocked the sword that had swung down at me. I looked into the darkness that concealed the face of the man I once knew.

"Redblaze! It's me, Dart! Your friend!" I cried out, narrowly evading another slash.

The figure laughed. "Friend? I have no friends! How can you even compare me to that fool? I am infinitely more powerful then he of whom you speak. But I can see that my target is not here. Why should I waste my time with you?" He began to mumble something under his breath, just loud enough for us to hear. "When one whose heart is black and white enter here, little time shall pass before he shall sere!" 

He spun his cloak around his body and disappeared. I sheathed my sword slowly and listened. I grabbed Rose and Haschel before searching for an exit other than the door, for I had heard voices coming our way. I found a small window and we jumped through it just in time as two figures stepped into the house.

We kneeled down beside the house and held our breath. We can't let him know we're spying on him. I put my hand over Rose's mouth and closed my eyes as I heard muffled speech inside the house.

"I'm going to look around. Something's not right." I heard a man's voice speak.

I heard the soft closing of a door before I nudged Rose and Haschel and pointed at a small ditch. I snuck toward the ditch and we climbed in. I held my breath as I heard the footsteps drawing nearer. For all I know, he might kill us if he is aligned with the other man.

I saw his shadow stretch across the ditch and held my breath. Finally, he walked away. I waited a few more minutes before standing. When I did stand, I stopped suddenly to feel a sharp blade against my throat. 

I turned to see a figure in black robes much like the man before. But this one was Redblaze. His hood was down and his silvery hair was blowing as if in the wind as he was prepared to strike. 

"What are you doing here?" He asked shortly, not easing up the pressure of the blade.

"We came here on a hunch after we saw what was left of Seles." Rose could speak normally as she did not have a blade to her throat.

"I know you were there. I know you killed people there. Why?" I asked more bravely than I felt.

He stared into my eyes for a long time before whispering, "It is none of your concern why I was there."

"Where's Meru?" Rose asked.

"She is safe with me. It is fortunate for you that you had once been travel companions of mine. If you hadn't been, I would have slain you five minutes ago. But I shall welcome you to stay if that is your wish." I felt a cold shiver as he looked at me. I know he killed that little girl.

We followed him into the small house and I breathed a sigh of relief to see Meru alive and well. 

"Dart, Rose, Haschel? What are you doing here?" Meru asked.

"I caught them outside trying hopelessly to hide in a ditch." Redblaze said and I didn't particularly like the way he said it.

I couldn't place it, but something about him seemed so… different. Especially the way he spoke. He spoke in quick sentences and had a mysterious air about his words. But it seems he hadn't forgotten Meru. He spoke kindly to her. I was glad that at least she was being treated properly.

Rose and I sat at the wooden table along with Meru and Redblaze. "Did you two touch or move anything when you were in here? Something isn't right." Redblaze spoke to Rose and I. 

"We didn't touch anything. But the other guy in robes was here. I had thought he was you until he told us he wasn't. But he said something strange before he left. He said something like an incantation. Something, about when a person's whose heart is black and white come here, he shall sere. Wouldn't that mean fire?"

Redblaze contemplated for a moment. "Person's heart… We have to leave! Now!" He jumped to his feet and grabbed Meru's hand before running through the door. We had just gotten out of the house when a giant tower of fire engulfed the house. 

The fire consumed the entire house slowly and finally died out. "Another well thought out plan to kill me. It's lucky you told me of his little spell casting." Redblaze spoke quietly as he watched the house burn.

"Red, you seem to know a lot about the other guy. Can you tell us some things about him?" Meru asked quietly.

"I suppose I can tell you a bit. But I can't tell you everything. I have much more honor then he. His name is Blue. I am not whole without him; he is not whole without me. He is my other half. We were born at the exact same moment to two different mothers. There have been very few halflings. We are a halfling. A halflings sole purpose is in legends. A halfling is only born because of a true legend. Those people had been divided in two. A good half, and an evil half. But something is strange about us. He is complete evil. I am neither. I have much good in me, but I also have just as much evil in my veins. Halflings become nearly invincible when united. Normally, they are absolute neutral, and will fight for whatever they believe is right. But if Blue and I were to ever unite, the results would be the total destruction of the world as we know it. We are the most powerful halflings alive. Combined, there is much more evil in us than there is good. Our combined evil would kill the good in me and we would become one incredible power of evil. Do you understand what I've said?" He spoke quickly and I couldn't help but get confused at some points. 

Rose seemed to understand though. "So if you and this Blue were to combine, you would become a God more or less, correct?"

Redblaze nodded. "Yes. In all aspects, we would be a god. There are two ways for a halfling to combine. Should one half die, the two will combine and the surviving half would control and the halfling would take on the shape and form of the survivor. If a battle were to take place between Blue and myself, the winner would become the dominant when we combined. Blue is much more powerful than I. If we were to fight, I would be overmatched quickly. The other way for the two to combine is if one half were to let go of his mind and transmit themselves to the other. An intense war would break out between good and evil. Normally, it will end in a draw and the two halves would unite as the mind of the halfling. But with a pair such as Blue and I, evil would conquer good and I would be completely erased from life. It would be as though I never existed. I can not control certain powers of mine unless he, the more powerful of us, is nearby. If I use those powers, I would lose control of my body and would probably kill myself and everyone around me. Someday, we must combine. When that happens… the world may very well end."

"So in other words, a duel between the two of you could determine the fate of the planet?" Haschel asked.

"Yes. Understand that if it comes down to a duel, you are to get as far away as possible." Redblaze spoke quietly.

We eventually gathered up any remains of the house and built a small shelter. As we sat inside, each of us were doing something on our own. Rose was obviously thinking hard about something. Redblaze seemed to be carving something from a large piece of wood while Meru watched him. Haschel seemed to be meditating. I was thinking just as much as Rose. 

What is Redblaze? I had thought I knew everything of importance about him, but once again he has proved me wrong. And what if one of the two 'halves' were killed? Could we trust either one? Power can do incredible things to a person. The best men in the world have turned totally evil because they gained power. What would happen to Redblaze? And if Redblaze is the one to die, do we have the power to stop the thing Redblaze described?

"I have an idea." I was shook out of my thoughts as Rose spoke. "Blue has attacked us several times. What if we were to stage an attack on him? We might catch him off guard and be able to beat him."

Redblaze shook his head. "He is never off guard. But it is better than staying here."

He stood up and put whatever he had been working on in his pack. We followed him out of the small tent we made as he led us over the small mountain. As we neared the top, I could sense something was horribly wrong.

"What's on the other side of this mountain?" I asked.

"We are going to a hidden village where the halflings live. Halflings live forever unless killed, which rarely happens. We will meet close to every halfling that has ever existed." Redblaze said quickly before continuing up the mountain.

Meru, Rose, and myself followed him. I couldn't shake the feeling of intense dread that had washed over me. Redblaze seemed to have felt this as well, for he drew his sword and held it at ready. 

I watched as he reached the summit of the mountain and peered over the side. A clatter echoes through the mountain as his sword fell from his hands and landed on the ground. He stood, staring in disbelief. I ran to his side and saw why he had stopped. A small village below was totally engulfed in fire. 

Redblaze quickly grabbed his sword and ran down the mountain. We followed closely behind him. If these halflings were as powerful as he said, then what could have done this to their village? 

I felt the uncontrollable anger build inside me. He was the only one who could do such a thing. What was he thinking, further endangering our race? But this also tells me something. He is even more powerful than I had believed. I never dreamed he could take out a village of nearly immortal beings.

I reached the village of the halflings and searched for some sign of life. I saw no one, not even a dead body within the flames. I slashed the Diamond Star towards the flames and they died quickly. I ran into the tallest house to see a few bodies of halflings. Their normally bright yellowish hair was charred black with soot.

I heard a weak and strange sounding cough. I ran to it and found the sole survivor of the attack. The village elder had somehow survived the attack.

"R, Red? Is that you?" He asked in a voice that resonated as if two had spoken.

"Yes. I'm here. Blue did this. He is attempting something." I whispered to the fallen elder.

"Red, the others are all dead. We're the only ones left. We are dying as we speak to you. Save you and Blue, the world will be completely rid of our race. But you must stop Blue. When… you become… one, you… must… rule." The elder's last word was drawn out as the gray eyes closed.

For the third tome in my life, I felt tears. My godfather was now dead. I felt my fist clench around the hilt of the Diamond Star. He's gone too far. He killed nearly all of the few people who know who I am.

I suddenly thought of something. Why had he come here? I ran into a hidden room to the side that had been blasted open. I looked at the shattered glass case and the empty pillow that had held the powerful and dangerous item known as 'The First Stone of Magic'. If it were combined with four other stones, He would have the power to kill me instantly, no matter where I was.

I ran back outside and joined Dart, Meru, Rose, and Haschel as they searched for survivors. I knew there were none. I quickly explained what I believed were his plans. I than led the group out of the village.

"The stones must be collected in a certain order." I explained as we walked toward the capitol of Serdio, Bales. "By getting the Stone of Magic, he started an evil curse that he intends to unleash at me. The next stone is the Stone of Death. It resides in a village over the entrance to Hell. I don't believe he knows where it is. The village is full of people. Hopefully they'll give it to us peacefully."

"And if they don't?" Rose asked gingerly as she followed me.

"You don't have to partake in the bloodshed." I said quickly before continuing farther ahead.

Silence fell upon our group as we walked. I could tell they had been struck that I had even mentioned killing innocent people.

"We have to get the stone by any means possible. If I am killed because he gets all the stones, he'll have remarkable power. He'll be able to kill whomever he wants. Do you understand why I am willing to give other's lives? It's to save the lives of billions."

They still remained silent as we walked, but Meru started to walk beside me. After about an hour more of walking in this silence, night had fallen.

"We should stop now. You said he didn't know the location of the stone, right? So it should be safe to sleep and prepare ourselves to get it." Dart suggested.

"I doubt it will be that easy. But yes, you four are not night travelers such as myself. We shall stop and rest." I spoke quickly.

We had set up camp quickly. I felt danger around us, so I agreed to be the first watch. Dart and Rose huddled together near the fire, showing feelings toward each other that I had barely known existed until Meru came.

Haschel curled up near the fire. He pulled a very warm blanket from his pack and wrapped himself in it to guard against the bitterness of the night. Meru had gotten some more decent clothes for the cold since I had seen her five years ago. But even with the warmer clothes and the fire, she shivered. I rubbed her arms gently to warm her and tried to ignore the quiet words of love that were coming from Dart and Rose.

After yet another hour of watching, nothing had come. I decided that they need much more sleep than I, so I stayed up for another watch. I was sure everyone was asleep as I looked at Meru, who was shivering violently. I was immune to things such as cold and heat, so I did something that I hadn't done with anyone within ten miles. I took off my jet-black cloak and placed it upon her. 

She ceased her shivering instantly. I felt incredibly vulnerable without my cloak. I soon realized this to be because the Diamond Star was within the robes. I gently reached inside and took the sheath that held the Diamond Star and attached it to me waist.

I now wore a black cotton shirt and black pants like Dart's. It felt strange to allow my pendent on my necklace to be out in the air. I lightly touched the magical pendent of a snakelike dragon that writhed and twisted together to form a graceful and beautiful pattern. I don't know if I'll ever know what it is or who gave it to me. I felt the dragon spirit I carried. I haven't used it for nearly six years. I believe it is cowardice to rely on energy so great to win a fight.

I thought of what Blue had said to me as I carried Meru out of danger. I was startled when he said it. My father had been killed by men who came to kill me when they learned that I was only half human. But according to Blue, he had killed my father. He deprived me of a much better life. A life that I could lead without having to carry a blade everywhere and having to kill anyone who tries to stop me in my mission.

I looked at the sky. The moon was nearing the midnight point in the sky. I walked over to Meru and took my cloak back so I could put it on. I nudged Haschel awake and walked over to the shivering Meru. I lay down beside her and held my arms around her, drawing her close to me. I wrapped my robes around her as well and gently kissed her forehead as she nuzzled her face in my chest. I felt her soft, creamy skin in my arms and felt stronger. I would be able to avenge my parents deaths when the time came.

I kissed her head once more before closing my eyes, for the first time in my life, happy to be with someone.

I had a dream that hadn't plagued me for many years. 

I ran from the cries of the men in my home. My father had told my mother to take me and run. My mother picked me up and extended her beautiful wings of energy and we flew to a safe distance from home. She set me down gently and kneeled beside me and cried. I felt her warm tears against me cheek as she held me close before standing. She gave me one last pained look before flying back home. 

I ran after her, I couldn't stand idly by, not knowing what was happening. I arrived quickly and hid behind a thick tree to watch the fight that had broken out at our home. My mother and father were fighting against at least ten men. 

I almost cried out as my mother fell to the ground. I watched as a bright light flew from her into the sword that my father fought with. He seemed even more determined as he fought. I felt the burning tears in my eyes and gave a small sob.

Then the dream changed ever so slightly.

I watched as the sword my father held glowed brightly. An explosion ripped from it, killing all the men around him. But instead the light clearing and me regaining my sight to see him dead, I saw a hooded figure fly though the explosion. He dodged bodies and flames and ran up to my father. He thrust his sword deep in my father and pulled it out.

I awoke in a cold sweat. I was still flooded with fear even though the dream was over. I soon recognized the feeling. I opened my eyes to see Dart waking the others quickly. Gliding silently toward us was the black mist that we had fought through six years ago.

I jumped to my feet and drew the Diamond Star. I woke Meru and lifted her to her feet. She saw the mist and readied her hammer. 

"We have to get to Bales so we can acquire the assistance of Albert and your friend, Lavitz." I whispered to Dart before leading the group into the mist that blocked our way to Bales. 

I cautiously moved into the mist, remembering the fearsome beasts I had seen the last time I visited such a place. I could feel evil all around me. But the evil was super intense here. I could feel that the source of the mist is not far away.

I crept along the pathways, keeping an ear out for any evil that may fall upon us. I thought I heard the wind rustling something nearby. I ran toward the sound, followed quickly by the others. I stopped when I saw what it was. A small girl, barely three years old, lay dead upon the ground. A careful slice was on her neck. This wasn't done by any beast. This was done by a human sword. And I knew who did it.

I continued down the path, seeing bodies scatter around. Some had gash marks from beasts, but most were like the child. We quickly found ourselves in a village that I recognized. 

"This is where the Stone of Death is kept. I pray he hasn't gotten it yet. I don't want to know what will happen when pure evil touches a stone of evil." I whispered as I hurried to the hut that held the stone. I could tell everyone was dead, so I didn't bother search for survivors.

As I neared the hut, I heard a loud scream before a dead guard flew out the door. We ran into the building just in time to see Blue wrap his hands around the stone. He laughed loudly before disappearing in a flash of black light. 

I suddenly felt the ground rumble and shake. I had no time to get out of the hut when the ground opened below us and our small group fell.

Don't you love cliff-hangers? The next chapter will have a whole lot more of Rose and Dart. I just didn't have much to say about them right now. I wonder why Dart and Haschel were talking about a ring? And yet again, I am so sorry for the remarkably long wait for this. I have a few other fics on the side. I'm working on all of them at once, and that makes stuff hard. I got a Megaman fic, a few Star Ocean fics, uh, and a lot of LOD fics. But I got this chapter out of the way. I think I'll finish fics chapter fics before I write new fics. But I don't know. Just R&R and tell me you liked it, even if you totally hated it. Oh and could you please tell me if you liked my fan character. I try to make him fit in with the group, so tell me if you think I did a good job. Thanks. I hope you're liking the fic as much as I like writing it.


	3. The Fight for the Stone

Hey, I'm back for the third chapter of Darkened Hope! I'm not sure if I said this yet but I don't own LOD. Sony does. It pains me greatly but I probably never will own LOD. Anyway, when we last left our heroes, they had narrowly missed getting the Stone of Death before Blue. Blue had set off a trap that plunged our heroes somewhere below ground. Where did they plunge? What will happen to them? Find out in this chapter of Darkened Hope! (I always wanted to say something like that)

We plunged deeper and deeper inside the planet. I felt intense evil grow greater and stronger as we fell. I closed my eyes and screamed as the evil feelings grew so great they were painful. 

I felt blackness close in around us. I heard Meru's cries for help and Redblaze's comforting words to her. I heard Haschel as he tried to transform into a dragoon and failed miserably. Dart reached out and grabbed my hand as we fell. Then everything was silent.

When I awoke, we were all standing in a strange room that circled around a large pillar in the center. Yet something was missing. I looked around. I saw Meru sobbing gently, Haschel pacing slowly, Dart was studying several writings on the wall, and Redblaze… wasn't here.

"Where's Redblaze?" I asked and everyone turned to me.

"We don't know. When we awoke, he was gone." Dart said slowly.

"Well, the world still seems to be here, so he must be alive somewhere." Haschel added.

"I've been looking at these markings, and they seems to be some sort of instructions or something." Dart said, his attention turning back to the wall.

"What do they say?" Meru asked through her sobs.

"It says that it takes evil to enter Hell, and goodness to leave. Sacrifice to survive, speed to live, wisdom to endure, and something to escape. I can't read it. It's too faint." Dart read from the writings. "What do you suppose it means?"

"I just want to find Red. He might know a way out." Meru said calmer than she looked.

"I think this is a way out. I mean, the steps say to survive, live, continue, endure, and escape. If we follow the directions, we should be able to escape." Dart pointed to the wall.

"Besides," I began, "the only way we could go would be up."

"But what about Red? And what does it mean, sacrifice and all that other junk?" Meru asked.

Dart was about to answer when we felt and incredible shaking. I looked around the room and saw several large holes open up in the walls of the room. Lava began to pour out of the holes at an alarming rate.

I quickly looked around for a means of escaping. I saw a ledge maybe eight feet above us. I pointed it out to Dart.

"Climb onto my shoulders! After you're all up I can jump for you to catch me!" Dart yelled to us.

Meru flew up to the ledge and Haschel climbed on to Dart's shoulders. He jumped up and Meru caught his hand and helped him to the ledge. Then I climbed on to Dart's shoulders, watching the lava coming dangerously close.

I jumped to the ledge and got on it. Dart jumped just as the lava reached him and I clasped on to his hands. I felt some weird force that kept me from pulling him up. Either he had gained weight, or something was messing with people's lives. I struggled to hold on to him.

The lava was quickly become a large pool. It stopped once it reached about two feet below Dart's dangling feet. I strengthened my grasp and held tighter. 

'God no! Not again! If we fell this time, there wouldn't be any chance of survival.' I felt sickened to think of this.

"Rose! Let go! I can't let you die with me!" Dart cried out.

"I can't! I won't!" I yelled back.

He closed his eyes gently. "Goodbye." He whispered before he tore his hand from my grasp.

He fell as if in slow motion. I was forced to watch as he died. But instead of him burning in the boiling lava, the lava disappeared. He fell down and hit the stone floor below.

He coughed in surprise. "Ouch." He mumbled before getting up, bewildered at where the lava had gone.

Haschel nodded slowly. "Disappearing lava. Whoever rigged this up is really good with practical jokes. That could knock anyone dead." He laughed. The rest of us seemed to miss the humor in the moment.

We shrugged off the strange lava and eventually got Dart safely to the ledge. I looked around at where we now were. We stood on top of the huge pillar and across it, I could see an archway that led out of the room. Meru had noticed it as well and ran toward it. I grabbed her and pulled her back just as an arrow flew through the air exactly where she would have been.

She collapsed with fright at what could have happened to her. I ignored her and took a small rock from the ground. I tossed it onto the ground in front of us and another arrow flew past.

Meru than tried to fly over the line of fire, but for some reason she couldn't fly. We couldn't transform into dragoons either.

"Hey, wait a sec'. What did the writing say? Dart tried to sacrifice himself and we managed to get through the lava. It said speed is what we need next." Haschel pointed out.

"Oh, I get it! I'm the fastest here, so I'll go across first." Meru said amazingly calm.

"You sure Meru?" Dart asked concerned. 

"Yeah! Red might be somewhere nearby! It's too bad Red isn't here. He could get across in a second!" Meru laughed before getting ready to run across. "Here I go!"

She began to run. She dodged an arrow before jumping back to avoid another. She dove to the ground to miss another and jumped over one more. She ran again and hopped over one last arrow before the arrows stopped. 

"I'm ok! Hey, there's a button here! It says, 'OFF'." Meru called to us.

"Push it! I can't make things much worse!" Haschel called back.

Meru pushed the button on the ground and we heard a strange sound like metal grinding on metal. I cautiously stepped out onto the pillar and no arrows came. I finished walking across the pillar followed by Dart and Haschel.

"What is this place? Where are we? And why do we have to get through all these traps?" Meru asked us when we arrived.

"I don't know," I whispered, "But I have a bad feeling about the next room."

We walked into a long pathway that seemed to ascend before descending before going up again. 

We stepped out of the passageway into a strange room with symbols all over the ground. I stepped on one and instantly jumped back as the ground crumbled. 

"This is probably a stupid question, but why did the ground just collapse out from under me?" I asked.

"I think it's some sort of puzzle." Haschel observed as he examined the markings of the stones.

"Hmm, these shapes seem very familiar. I can't place where I saw them before, but I know I've seen them." Rose said calmly as she too looked at the pictures.

I examined the markings as well. I recognized them immediately. "These are the same markings Red has on his cloak!" I cried out.

Rose walked over to the wall and felt it with her hand. Her hand slid across some ancient markings just like the symbols on the floor. "I understand this now. We're alive, but in the labyrinth paths of Hell. And I understand who and what Redblaze truly is."

"What about Red?" I asked.

"It says, 'When the clash of swords cease, One shall make them echo. When the winds of battle die, One shall make them reborn, When the blood of a war runs cold, One shall give it life. But when the clash of swords echo, Another shall silence them, When the winds of battle roar, Another shall slay them, When the blood of war pulses, Another shall stop them. When Good and Evil have become one, Evil shall overpower Good. One shall wish to bring eternal damnation, Another shall fight for peace and love. One will wield the evil blade of Marasume, Another shall wield the legendary sword of diamonds and stars. The fate of the world and universe lie in the outcome of the battle that the God of All wages.' "

"Does… this mean… Red is a… God?" I asked slowly, not believing what I had heard.

"No. It means that combined, he and his counterpart are a god. Divided, they are mere mortals like ourselves. But they are far more powerful than any normal being. They have the abilities of a superior being, but are mortal and can be killed. And speaking of this, I wonder why it was that when Redblaze and the rest of us died, Blue did not become one with Redblaze. I guess it doesn't matter, but it is curious." Rose replied.

Dart looked at the writing. "What does it mean by 'God of All'? Are they Soa?"

"No, they can't be. Soa is the creator. It is his will that moves the planets. They can't be Soa because the world would stop if he weren't there. He created them." Haschel said quietly, as if speaking of Soa in such a hell was disrespectful.

I turned my attention back towards the markings on the floor. I saw a few symbols I recognized. Most however were unknown to me. I read a small inscription just before the first blocks with the markings.

'Always neutrality before evil.' The inscription made little sense until I thought about it hard. Red had told us how he had an equal amount of good and evil. That means he is neutral.

"Guys," I began, "I get it! Some of these markings are distinctly from or about Red. Other markings I remember seeing on the other guy, Blue. Neutrality before evil. Red is neutral. Blue is evil. Step on steps with Red's markings on them. It looks like there are five pairs of stones. We have to answer correctly. Let's find Red!"

I stepped up to the first pair of stones. One was a pitch black that seemed deeper than the actual stone. The other was a grisly gray. I slowly stepped on to the gray stone. It shook a bit, but remained firm. The next pair had a picture of a white stone and a black stone. That was easy. Black was always associated with evil. 

I stepped onto the white stone and felt a horrible crunching noise. I reached my hand out just in time to grab hold of the edge of the step I just stepped off of. I slowly pulled myself on to it.

"I think," I panted, "that that was the wrong choice."

I shook off the fear and thought about how Red might be nearby. I stepped on to the black stone and looked at the next steps. There were three. One had the definite symbol of a wingly upon it, one was blank, and one had a human on it. I sat down to think about it.

"I don't see what's so hard about this one. Redblaze even told us he was a wingly." Haschel said.

"No, Red told us he was a half-wingly. I'm not sure if he would be the blank, the human, or the wingly. The blank might mean that he's nothing, and that would be wrong." I replied.

I thought for a few minutes. I then stood. "I get it. It's not about what he is. It's about a war. The humans and winglies fought once. The blank signifies neutrality."

I stepped on the blank stone and was correct. I now looked at a pair of swords painted upon the stones. One was light blue and gave off a light from the center of a star on a diamond. It was easily recognized as the Diamond Star. The other was deep red and seemed to draw darkness into it through a black sphere. I stepped on to the obvious answer, the Diamond Star.

I stepped up to the final pair. The others had followed me across the steps and stood beside me. The two pictures on the steps were one of an orb with many people, animals and plants on it, and the other one of an orb void of anything. The empty orb looked as though it had suffered a powerful blast of energy. As if life had once been there but had been wiped out.

"Is this about what is to come?" Rose asked when she saw the marks.

"If it is, than what do we pick?" I replied. 

Dart took his sword and lightly touched the picture with life teeming on the orb. The step crumbled into dust. 

"If this is what happens if Redblaze becomes dominant, than it appears he is to destroy all life." Haschel said quietly, seeing the hurt and shocked expression on my face.

"I won't believe it until I hear it from Red." I whispered as I walked on, silently followed by the other three.

I walked in silence, following behind Meru. I understood her feelings. She couldn't believe that Redblaze would kill everyone on the planet. I found it hard to believe. But these prophecies and mysteries seem to control our lives.   

As we traversed the path that winded around a fiery hell-like abyss, I could not but help to think of what we got into. We could be spurring on the destruction of all life, or we may be saving the planet once again. We all trusted Redblaze, but were we doing the right thing? What if we aren't right about him?

I was interrupted from my thoughts as we entered a large room with blackness swirling everywhere. I heard a familiar voice sound not far away. "Meru, follow my voice. Hurry. We haven't much time."

I ran after Meru as she in turn ran after the voice. The fog around us slowly cleared. In the shadows of the room we now stood in was a man in black robes. Redblaze walked forward slowly toward us. 

"I see that you were lucky enough and brave enough to challenge the forces of hell and survive. Good." He gave a light laugh. "It would be a shame if I could kill you myself!"

Redblaze's form, however, did not attack us as we readied ourselves. He slumped to the floor, breathing uneven. A black shade lifted from him.

"I see that you have made it into the depths of my new abode. Thanks to you and the infernal dragonling, I've had to suffer in an endless cycle of this hell! I shan't allow you to live after what you did to me!" The black form took the shape of a small dragon and we easily identified it as the soul of the Black Monster.

"I want true revenge for everything you've done! We'll put your soul to rest forever!" I yelled at the Monster.

I ran at it and slashed by blade through the blackness and flipped over his powerful claws. I was caught off guard by a powerful slash of inhuman strength that caused me to slam into a wall. Meru spun her hammer around, striking the darkness several times. She hit once more before it reached out a hand and clutched her throat.

"You are becoming a menace, little one! Your soul shall join those of Hell!" It spat as its grip tightened.

Suddenly a voice sounded from behind the beast. "I believe you're mistaken. You shall be wiped from existence now." 

Redblaze stepped from around the monster and held his magic blade at ready. "Your soul is meant to be at rest. I shall personally make sure that it remains that way."

A bright light flashed from his blade sent jolts throughout the room. The energy all spun toward the monster and struck. The smoke slowly cleared and we heard a high, cold laughter. The beast remained where it had been. It began shooting energy beams back at us.

Redblaze jumped forward, Diamond Star in hand. "Diamond Shield!" 

A diamond descended from above and embraced Haschel, Rose, Meru, Redblaze and myself in blissful light. The beams struck the shield and vanished. 

But the Black Monster ran through the shield and met us in hand to hand combat. I ran at it and swung. I hit and the black Monster retreated slightly, smirking.

"So you have some fight in you. You like to outnumber your enemy, do you? Two can play at that game." The monster than created several zombie creatures. 

I was distracted from the Black monster by one of these. Redblaze quickly killed the one that attacked him before turning back to the Black Monster. Rose, Meru and Haschel all fought against a zombie as well.

 I felt the monstrous power of the zombie as it bore down at me. I slashed and forced it off of me. It jumped back at me and struck me hard. I slid across the ground as it lumbered toward me, evil in its empty eyes. I slashed again and struck it.

"Diamond Star Beam!" I heard Redblaze call out. A miraculous beam of light flew from the tip of his blade. He pointed the blade upwards and a loud explosion was heard. I felt the life flow into me as a tiny prick of light was seen from above.

The Black Monster cringed back from the light as I held out the dragon spirits of the Divine and Red-Eye Dragons. As the magic light from above swirled down to us, I felt an incredible feeling emanating from both stones. They lifted from my hand and spun around each other. A bright flash came off of them and when it cleared, a small ball of silver and red landed in my hand.

I held it up and felt a power unlike any other. Armor swirled around, amazingly light for the quality and strength it possessed. Two silver and red bracers attached themselves to my arms. Gauntlets of red wrapped around my hands, each with a small hole in the palm. A chest plate of silver attached itself to my body. In the center was a large red stone shaped like a dragon eye. In my hand appeared a beautiful blade. The handle of the blade was a silver color. The blade sparked and burned in a red flame. A silver fire consumed me as I felt power burst forth from within me. I felt the head piece move into place. I looked out through the dragon's eye on the headpiece. I saw the power levels, strengths and weaknesses, the condition of everyone around me.

I clenched my hands around the flaming blade as the fire around me ceased. I saw eight flaming silver wings on my back. I now possessed the power of the Divine Blaze Dragon, the cross of the Divine and Red-Eye dragons. The last thing to attach itself to my armor was a large cannon on each shoulder. 

"Impossible! How can you be two dragoons at once?! But wait, it matters not. I can defeat you. You're just going to put up a slightly better fight than the last time we met." The Monster yelled out as it dodged a blow from Redblaze.

Redblaze spun around and slashed out. The beast was prepared however. It knocked Redblaze's blow awry before back handing him. Redblaze flew backward and slammed into a stone wall. He collapsed, unmoving. The Black Monster flew high out of the reach of my friends.

Meru ran to Redblaze's side while I felt anger rise inside me. I do not know when or how it happened, but I had come to call Redblaze a… friend. Haschel nodded toward me and I understood what he meant. Seeing as my friends still couldn't manage to transform, I was the only dragoon. But Dragoon or not, each of us had a plan. 

Haschel ran at me and I flew to meet him. I grabbed onto him and lifted off the ground. Rose jumped behind the Black Monster. I drew my blade and flew at the monster. Haschel flipped off of me and slammed into the Black Monster, kicking him high into the air. I slashed out and connected as I sped past it. As I flew past, Rose jumped onto my back and jumped again at the beast. She spun around and I saw what she saw around the neck of the Black monster. A small pendent in the shape of a dragon. She slashed out and cut the pendent loose. 

In an instant, she and the others, aside from Redblaze, all became dragoons. The monster lunged out for the pendent but fell short as Rose crushed it below her boot. Rose held her rapier tightly and Haschel's fists began to glow. 

I began to charge up the cannons on my shoulders. I pulled all negative energy toward one cannon and all positive energy toward the other. The cannons vibrated slightly as the energy reached maximum. I discharged both cannons at the same time. "Spiraling Energy!" I cried as the positive blast mixed and spun with the negative energy. The beam grew larger before becoming as large as a blast from the original Divine Dragon. 

"Death Dimension!" I heard Rose call out as my cannons absorbed some of her spell.

"Thunder God Attack!" Haschel yelled out too while my cannons absorbed some of his spell. 

Meru summoned the Water Dragon and my cannons absorbed the dragon's energy as well.

I was then surprised when I heard someone yell, "Void Wave!" I turned to see Redblaze fly up beside me as my cannons absorbed yet another spell.

I was blasted back a few feet as my cannons gave another powerful discharge. Through the dragon's eye I saw statistics flooding my vision. This spell has the equivalent fighting power to that of Melbu Frahma at his peak of strength. The beam flew into the Black Monster and for one horrifying moment, I thought nothing happened. But then light flooded from within the monster. The light burst forth throughout it. When the light had ceased, the form of the Black Monster was lying on the floor.

I was startled when it got up. It began to laugh loudly as it looked at us. "Ha! My, that was a powerful attack. Yes indeed. But that was exactly what I wanted." 

"What do you mean?" Rose asked.

"I was already a spirit beforehand. A wandering soul. You can't kill a spirit. By defeating me before, you imprisoned me in this hellhole. But now that you defeated me again, I'm free to go. Oh yes, I thought I remembered you." He said, pointing to me. "You're the guy who was with the young girl with the bow. Shana I believe was her name. Didn't you wonder why you didn't see her when you had died? It's because I have her."

"What?! She's alive? Show her to me!" I yelled.

"Not I think so. I'll just take my leave now." And the black form disappeared.

We all transformed to our normal state. I collapsed from sheer exhaustion, too weak to support myself. I closed my eyes slowly, knowing everything was all right when I felt the cool air of the outside world blow across my face.

I silently stood as I reached the mouth of the small tunnel that we followed to the world of the living. I breathed in the air around me. "It's no better here than in hell. The fog infests this air. No doubt a work of Blue." I said softly. 

I reached into the tunnel and pulled Meru out along with Rose, Haschel and Dart. I walked over to a small tree and leaned against it.

"We shall soon leave for Bale. Blue has acquired the First Stone of Magic and the Second Stone of Death. He needs to get the Stones of Life, Power, and Courage. We must not stall here. This is a highly dangerous area. We shall stop and rest after we have discovered the cause of this fog. Aside from these quests, we also have to finish the Black monster once and for all." I said calmly as I stood again and walked back toward where I felt the fog came from.

I walked slowly through the darkened paths. Twice I heard the sound of demons leading their path of destruction through the forest. We had been lucky to not encounter any such beasts. I rounded a final curve in the path when I saw a figure with it's back turned to us. The figure was hunched over a book of some sort. 

It raised a hand into the air and mumbled a few words. From its hand poured more of the evil mist. I was surprised when the figure spoke in a deep male voice. "I know you are there. I can feel it. Come out Red."

I stepped forward accompanied by my companions. "How do you know me? Who are you? And why do you make this fog?" I asked calmly.

"You are a master swordsman, correct?" The man said.

"I suppose. But what is that supposed to mean?" I replied.

"Do you believe yourself more powerful than I?" He asked.

"If you don't answer my questions, I will prove it to you." I threatened.

"Ah, such foolishness. You have the blood of half. You are not entirely human, nor are you entirely wingly. Do you believe that you, a mere half-wingly, can defeat me, one of the few remaining winglies who have the full power of our ancestors?" He turned and smirked at us. His face was quite normal as you would expect of a wingly. He seemed to be young.

"I believe that I will put an end to mist you created. If you still believe yourself a challenge to me, You no longer have a purpose in life." I smiled softly as I drew the Diamond Star.

"You shall die here and now!" The wingly yelled out as he conjured a fireball.

I stood firm, unimpressed by the small ball of fire he created. Enraged at my lack of interest in his power, the wingly threw the fireball at me. I watched it come closer to me and timed my move perfectly. I swung the Diamond Star out and knocked the fireball aside harmlessly.

"So you think that just because you diverted my weakest spell, you are stronger than I?" He yelled.

I smirked and said one word, "Yes."

The wingly launched himself at me angrily. His hands erupted into flames as he hurtled toward me. I flipped over his head as he flew by and kicked him in the back as he flew under me. He spun around and held his hands to his left side. A ball of energy formed quickly. I was amazed to discover that this energy ball was a threat. I didn't think the guy had any power in him.

I quickly began to prepare myself for the blast. An energy ball that size can't move very quickly. I'll have plenty of time to avoid it. I waited for him to fire it. He suddenly did and I was blown back by the impact. How can it be? How could he fire it that quickly?

I managed to dodge the next ball before flipping around and landing behind him. He spun toward me and fired two blue beams from his hands. I dodged both beams before flipping backward a safe distance away. 

"Diamond Star Attack Run!" I yelled as the words simply appeared in my mind. I closed my eyes softly and felt myself using my teleport skill. I kicked off from several rocks along the way, increasing my already blistering speed. I flashed out of the teleport technique right in front of my opponent. I slashed out with the Diamond Star and slammed into him. He skidded backward along the ground before flying to his feet.

"How can it be? A half-wingly shouldn't have the powers of magic. That is reserved for  the true wingly. There is something strange about you." The wingly said softly.

I ignored him as I concentrated on my next attack. "Diamond Twister!" I ran at him again and threw the Diamond Star out in front of me. It flew around my wingly opponent before slashing down at him.

He struggled to his knees, his eyes wide with fear. "It's… impossible! How can… I be… defeated by…  someone with the… blood of half? If I am to be defeated by these humans, than what is the significance of my existence?" 

I walked over to him, Diamond Star in hand. "I have a purpose. Your purpose is gone. Meru, please avert your eyes." I spoke with a deadly tone in my voice. 

Meru nodded and turned her eyes away from my fallen opponent and I. I heard her gasp as she must have heard my blade slash downward and behead him.

I cleansed the Diamond Star of his blood and led the group away from the clearing. I could already see the mist around us lifting slowly until it was non-existent. I could see by the weary looks on my companion's faces that they needed rest. I walked to a tree and leaned against it.

"Now we shall stop and rest. We have succeeded in lifting the mist from this world. We may rest the night here." I spoke softly.

I reached into the satchel I held at my side and took out the bow I was making. I carved a curve in the wood with a handhold for just the size of my hand. I quietly threaded the thick, strong string. I then began to carve elegant symbols along the curve. The last thing I did was the most important. I made sure the others weren't looking before I took my concealed dragon pendant and touched it to the bow. I blew softly across the pendant, enhancing the strength and power of the bow. I quickly concealed my pendant and attached the bow to my back.

I could see that they were still shocked by my actions with the wingly. I stood slowly and walked over to where they were whispering quietly. 

"I did what had to be done. If I allowed him to live, he would have continued his deeds. Now we must rest. Tomorrow we go to Bale before retrieving the Third Stone of Life. It is high atop the mountains where the wind dragon Fyerbrand once lived. Even though the fog is gone, we will not be totally safe tonight. I shall stand guard keep a lookout. I can go days without sleep. You four need to rest." I spoke softly to them before leaning against another tree.

I closed my eyes and began to think about what has happened. I thought about my purpose. Several years ago, my purpose had been to protect the Dragon of Time. I had failed my purpose and lost it. Only those with a purpose were truly living beings. If not for the words of that magnificent child by the name of Meru, I would have killed myself. I thought of my cowardice.  I had the strength, power, and spirit to protect myself. But I am too cowardly to risk my life for another. I could never do something like that. I would be too scared to move. And what of my companions? Can I call them friends? No. I have no friends. The closest thing I have to a friend is Meru, and she is so much more. I had promised to protect her with my very life. Several years ago, I failed that purpose as well. I had died because of that. I had no purpose, so I had died. I had willed myself to die.  

I thought of  the time I parted from Meru and journeyed for those years alone. I touched the Diamond Star lightly along the blade. I could end the world's and my own suffering instantly. Yet I am too much of a coward to end my suffering. I could let go of my mind and allow blue to destroy the world. But I am too cowardly to lose myself to him. It is only that cowardice that protects this world. It's just a matter of time before My cowardice acts against me.

I opened my eyes and looked up. Night was beginning to fall. My companions were making their sleeping areas. I looked at Meru and sighed. I thought of how much she seemed to look to me for support. Maybe it wasn't only cowardice that kept me from doing terrible things. I watched her as she moved elegantly. 

Dart and Haschel went off into the woods in separate directions, obviously going to change into their nightclothes. Rose too walked in the last remaining direction. The other direction was a steep cliff and was impassible.

"Red, could you please not look?" Meru asked softly.

I wisely averted my eyes away from her figure as she changed. I am very glad that my clothing repels unclean things. I would have problems with this group if I had to wash the cloak. No one has seen me without my cloak for at least twenty of my thirty-three years. No one who is still alive at least. 

"All right Red, you can look now." Meru said softly.

I nodded to show I acknowledged her and looked up. She walked over to me and looked into my eyes. "Red, do you still… love me?" She looked extremely worried as she said these things.

"Why do you ask?" I turned my eyes away from her face and looked down at the ground.

"You seem different. You act as though you are forced to travel with me. I love you, but I need to know if you still feel the same way." She put her hands on my face and lifted it so I was looking at her again.

"I… I do care for you." I replied slowly.

"But do you love me? I need to know." She spoke softly and I could see the tears of emotion in her eyes.

"Meru, until you came along, I had been emotionless. I never opened myself to anyone. If I hadn't met you, I wouldn't have been able to resist Blue. I… I do… love you." I whispered to her softly.

She just laid her head upon my shoulder and cried. I allowed her to shed her tears upon me as I held her close to keep her warm and safe. I was taken aback in surprise when she placed her lips upon mine. Unlike the last time several years ago, I did not pull away. I embraced her softly and wondered how I, a loner, a person who barely has a soul, can feel such things.

I broke the kiss and looked around. "Now is not the time to be doing this. I sense danger nearby. Don't worry, I will protect you with my life. I guarantee it." 

"How deplorable. I see you managed to kill Arstein. Good riddance!" I spun around to find myself face to face with Blue. 

I drew the Diamond Star. "What do you want?! Come to end this now?!" 

"Tsk, tsk. It would appear that you have forgotten who the stronger of the two of us is." He turned and peered at Meru. "I seem to remember you. This fool got in the way of your execution. Perhaps I should finish it now." 

He raised his blade that glowed with an evil red color and slashed at Meru. I closed my eyes and faced my fear. I ran in front of Meru as the blow fell. I was struck down by the evil magic within the sword. I collapsed at his feet, in too much pain to even open my eyes. 

"Fool! It is not yet time! I will allow you to live, but you will remember the power I possess. We shall meet again very soon. Should this happen again, I won't let you live." With that, Blue swirled his robes around him and vanished.

"Red! Are you all right?!" Meru's voice seemed distant.

I reached out for her. My head was spinning with pain. Meru took my hand and lifted me to my feet. I managed to walk a couple steps before collapsing. What a fool I am to think I can match Blue in strength and power. I felt dizzy as Meru helped me up again and walked me to the spot she had set up to sleep. She laid me down and examined me. She didn't say anything, but I knew I was bleeding badly. My pain was soothed slightly by the feel of her touch. 

Blue… He killed my father. He killed my godfather. He attempted to kill Meru. He killed every person trusted by Soa to guard the stones. He almost killed me. I make a vow now that as long as I have a breath in my lungs, I will fight back. As long as I have a drop of blood in my veins, I will resist. As long as one person on this planet has hope for peace, I will struggle. I will not give up; I will never go quietly without a fight. I will fight as long as I live. Be it an easy victory or a useless struggle, I will fight for my existence.

I felt the words of my vow rebound through my mind. I felt Meru's soft hands wrapping gauze around my wound. I winced in pain as the gauze touched the bloody wound. I felt Meru take my hand and squeeze until the pain subsided. I gave her one more glance before I lost consciousness. 

In my sleep I saw many visions. I saw Blue in a clearing on a mountain. In the center of the clearing lay an altar. On the top of it was the Third Stone of Life. Blue took the stone and laughed. I could feel that what I had seen was true. Blue was only two stones away from my death and his rise to unmatched power.

I also saw something that struck fear into my heart. Blue stood on the plateau at the summit of the Mountain of the Immortal Dragon. I saw yet another of his skills. He was an expert of powerful Necromancy. He waved his hands around before raising his fist high. I black light engulfed him before flying high in the air. Slowly down came the thing I feared. The Divine Dragon, brought to life with the evil powers of Necromancy. 

The shock of this vision shook me out of my sleep. I awoke to the night sounds. I felt my wound and stood slowly. I limped slowly over to the stump where Meru sat. 

"Meru, we have trouble. Wake the others, we must hurry to Bale." I spoke quickly. Meru turned to me and nodded.

Soon everyone was awake. I explained my visions. They agreed when I said we had to go to Bale. We packed up the few things we had taken out and began to walk. We arrived in Bale in the early hours of the morning. I realized that we couldn't get anything done tonight, for the king and Lavitz were asleep.

We hurried to an inn where I managed to 'convince' the owner to let us stay even though we were broke. The room had two beds, each big enough for two people. I immediately set out a sleeping bag on the ground. When I returned after preparing for bed, I discovered the sleeping arrangements to have already been made. Haschel had fallen asleep in the sleeping bag I had set out for myself. Dart and Rose shared a bed and Meru was looking expectantly at me. I, however, did not feel like expressing my feelings right now. I quickly fell asleep on the floor next to the bed.

When I awoke from my dreamless sleep, I found Meru asleep in my arms. Haschel was now in the bed while Dart and Rose remained like they had been. I sighed but did not move for fear of waking the young girl in my arms. I must tell her soon.

After an hour or so of enjoying her body in my arms, she gave a light yawn and awoke. I lightly stood up and helped her to her feet. We set to the seemingly impossible task of awakening the others. Before too long, Dart and Rose were helping us try to wake Haschel.

I eventually succeeded in awakening him when I lost my patience and pushed him off the side of the bed. He awoke rather quickly because of that. We calmed him down and got ready for the day.

We immediately went to Indels Castle and requested a meeting with the king. We were immediately taken to Albert's chamber. 

"Hello once again my liege. It is I," I paused and saw that there were guards around, "the Black Knight. I cannot let your guards hear my name or some of the things I must tell you. If you would ask them to leave, we could speak more leniently."

"It will be so. Guards, please exit the chamber." Albert spoke loudly.

The guards nodded and left. "Thank you my lord." I said.

"Please, you may call me Albert, old friend." Albert replied.

I looked away from him. "I have no friends. But I shall call you by name."

Albert seemed shocked by my reply but quickly regained his composition. "All right then, what is it that you have come to talk with me about?"

"We have a problem. Although we succeeded in vanquishing the man who created the mist, the fate of this world lies in the outcome of my struggle against my other half. We need your power. It will take the powers of all of the Dragon Warriors. You, being a dragoon, have a duty. It surpasses all your other duties." I noticed a young woman peering at us through a crack in the door. "I see that your wife is listening in on our conversation." 

Albert turned towards the door. He looked at me and said, "Would it be all right if she were to know what is happening?"

I gave a quick nod. Crystal entered the room and took a seat in her own throne beside Albert. "I'm am sorry to say this, my queen, but we need the powers of your husband once more."

"So this is what it is about? You need him again. I understand. Just make sure he returns safely." She said calmer than she looked.

"I will meet you later. Return here after you have prepared yourselves." Albert said quickly before dismissing us.

We walked out of the castle and immediately headed for Lavitz's house. Lavitz welcomed us in but I noticed his gaze pass over me. I understood why. I couldn't remove my hood in an area where people are to be found. He was obviously uneasy about my face be shrouded.

After he and Dart greeted each other in a friendly manner, he led us to the living room and offered us tea. I calmly refused while the others thanked him for the tea. "What brings you out here? I can tell something's up because he's with you." Lavitz said with a gesture to me.

"We are here because we need all the help we can get. Even the weakest power could be of some use to us." I said quietly. "I do not mean that you are the weakest power we know of. I do not amuse myself with pathetic pastimes such as insulting a companion."

Lavitz nodded slowly, obviously not fully comprehending what I had said. "So you guys need me to help fight? Well, there hasn't been much use of my talents with the spear for some time now. But I'm the bodyguard for the king. I can't leave that."

"My liege King Albert is fighting along side us. His duties as a dragoon surpass his duty as a king. If you are to be his bodyguard, than you must come as well." I said.

"I will come than." He replied.

"Good! We'll get Albert then leave. Redblaze will lead the way of course." Dart said before whispering to Lavitz, trying to keep me from hearing, "He leads us everywhere, I just follow him because he's smarter than he looks and Meru's boyfriend."

Lavitz laughed quietly and whispered in reply, "He and Meru?! That's too funny!"

I smirked softly. "I heard every word you just said."

They both looked up at me and seemed rather embarrassed. After my companions accepted food from Lavitz's mother that they had been too polite to refuse, we left for the castle. Albert greeted us outside the castle.

"I see that we are all here. Let us be off then." He turned toward Crystal who was standing by the castle. "I'll be back soon."

Lavitz noticed Crystal and called out, "My queen, think of it this way. If the world ends, we screwed up!"

Dart laughed at Lavitz's comment. I walked towards the exit to town and was nearly there when Dart and Lavitz realized that the rest of us had left. We waited for them until they arrived, panting. I shook my head and led the group out of town. 

After several days of travel, we found the remaining dragoons. All of them had found out somehow about our return to the world of the living. As we left Deningrad, Miranda explained how the Divine Dragon had been spotted around the country.

"We'll go to the mountain. It should return there soon. Besides, the key to the Fourth Stone of Power resides with the Divine Dragon. In its defeat, the path to power will be opened." I told the group this as I led them to the mountain. We soon stood at the base. "Now, as we enter unto this area, I wish you all to have no regrets. I know of your previous victory over the Divine Dragon. But you were aided by the Dragon Block Staff. We will now confront the Divine Dragon in its fullest power."

They all showed that they understood the danger. Slowly, we walked up the paths of the mountain. Twice we encountered lesser dragons. Unbeknownst to the others, dragons are special creatures to me. They are part of me. I have always been stronger at the thought of dragons. A dragon's qualities are strength, wisdom, grace, elegance, and courage. I have all but the last. I had never felt guilty when I killed. Not until I felt the Diamond Star slice through the flesh of a dragon.

I felt a strange pain in my heart when I thought of killing such a creature. Never before have I looked at killing as an evil thing. I've always killed and taken lives when I need to. Now as I prepare to murder a dragon, I think of the pain I cause. But sometimes being unfeeling is important. I cannot hold back when we fight.

I followed Red and examined him. Something was different in him. He had hesitated when he had killed the dragons we fought. I wonder why that was. He seemed troubled. Could it be the fact the Blue was growing close to the last two stones?

I pushed the thoughts from my mind as we neared the summit. A sudden shadow enveloped us. A deafening roar was heard and we dove to the ground, barely avoiding a tremendous blast of energy that was the Divine Dragon's cannon. 

I looked up to see the enormous beast fly up and disappear onto the top of the mountain. Red jumped to his feet and hesitated before drawing his sword. We ran up the mountain until we reached the summit. There, we saw the Divine Dragon.

It roared hungrily and looked at us with its eyes full of hatred. It immediately began firing blast of energy at us. But now without the Dragon Block Staff, it was at full power. But so were our dragoon transformations.

Dart stepped forward towards the Divine Dragon. He held his Dragon spirit in his palm. He held it high into the air and transformed. I felt the amazing strength and power that he now possessed. He held his flaming blade at ready as the dragon peered down upon us.

Red stepped forward as well but hesitated. He shook his head to clear his mind and thrust his blade. He missed by a very small distance.

I saw the dragon's cannon charge up. "Red! Look out!" I screamed as the cannon discharged. 

Red had barely heard me before the blast struck him. He flew backward through the air. He hit the ground hard, a blow that would kill any normal man. He struggled to his feet, shaken by the blast. 

I pulled out my dragon spirit and held it tight. I felt my armor wrap around me and embrace me. I felt my wings flash into existence. I stared into the eyes of the Divine Dragon and held my hammer at ready.

The other five transformed too. Red remained unchanged. Dart flew up to the dragon and sheathed his sword. "Divine Burner!" He yelled out. His hands burst into a silver flame that twisted and flashed with a life of its own. Dart slammed into the dragon and placed his hands on the dragon's chest. "Ignite!" Flames roared from his hands as he flew backward. The Divine Dragon looked shocked by the blow and had two burn marks on its chest.   

The Divine Dragon roared in fury. It slammed Dart with its huge claws and stunned him. Dart had barely begun to regroup his senses when the Divine Dragon flew high into the sky. It released its Divine Dragon Ball upon us. The blasts hit us all several times. I hit the ground and cried out. Something snapped as I hit.

I tried to get up but fell as I tried to stand. My leg hurt like crazy. I struggled to fly up, but I stopped when pain ripped through me. I looked at my wings. They were broken. I looked up to see the Divine Dragon preparing to step on me. I closed my eyes. I suddenly heard a terrible roar of pain. I looked up to Red; his blade buried deep in the dragon's leg. I quickly crawled out of the battlefield.

I watched as the rest of the battle laid itself out. Haschel and Kongol were soon thrown to the side of the battlefield. They didn't get up. Miranda soon hit a stone wall with great force and was knocked unconscious. Albert was soon added to the pile when he received a vicious blow from the dragon. 

Red and Dart were soon the only two left. They fought the Divine Dragon with remarkable strength. Red was doing outstandingly well without being a dragoon. I suddenly cried out as Red was caught off guard and slammed away. Red skidded across the ground and lay unconscious a few feet from me.

I crawled over to him and began to attempt to bring him around. Dart was fighting the Divine Dragon alone now. His abilities were heightened due to his rage of his friends being taken out of the fight. Dart flew around the Dragon, but it appeared that the dragon thought of him as a small pest. I had barely managed to wake Red when Dart was hit so hard that he didn't have the energy to maintain his dragoon powers. 

Red ran forward as Dart hit the ground. Red jumped at the dragon, spinning in a circle with the Diamond Star held straight out. He hit the dragon with the blade before using the force of the contact to turn him into a flip. Red brought the sword down through the dragon's skin and the dragon gave a deafening roar of pain. It slammed to the ground where it lay still but breathing. Red moved toward it and held his sword over the dragon's heart. 

Red's hand shook as he held his blade. He closed his eyes and jammed the sword into the dragon. He then collapsed to his knees. I transformed back into human state and tested my leg. I was all right, so I ran to Red's side. He had his head down and his hands let go of the sword. 

I could see that he was torn by what he had done. He had slain the dragon, and to him, a dragoon and a dragonling, he was one with dragons. It proved almost to much for him to have slain a dragon of such strength, for its strength meant he had to be willing to sacrifice it in order for him to be able to kill it.

Red nodded slowly as he stood up and put the sword in its sheath. "You must be sacrificed, great dragon of the divine. Please hear these words. By your death, you have opened the path to the future. Your death will ensure the life of this planet." Red whispered as he put a hand upon the chest of the dragon.

He slowly drew his sword and held it tight. Suddenly, a large blast of energy flew down from the sky, throwing Red away from the dragon. Seconds later, a black vapor swirled beside the dragon. The vapor spun closer and closer until it took the form of a familiar figure. Blue.

He gave us all a quick glance before doing the same thing Lloyd had done all those years before. He slashed his blade through the eye of the dragon. He then reached into the dragon's eye and pulled out a small stone. It glowed with an amazing energy and I could sense great power in it. Blue gave a quiet laugh before vanishing.    

I closed my eyes softly. I can feel it. This world is meant to die. Fate would have it that I will die and this world will become consumed by Blue's evil ambitions. But I remember my vow. I still breathe and the blood of humans and winglies still flows through my veins. I know that Meru still has hope for the world. I swear that I shan't be the one to shatter her hopes.

I looked up at the sky that was darkening everywhere in the world. "He has them all. He has all of the stones." I whispered quietly. 

The whole group looked at me in surprise. "I thought you said there were five stones." Lavitz said quietly.

"There are five stones. The Stone of Magic, wrenched from the grasp of the only halflings left. The Stone of Death, taken from the village over the Gates of Hell. The Stone of Life, taken from the mountains where Fyerbrand fell. The Stone of Power, taken from the soul of the most divine of the dragons. And the final stone, the Stone of Evil, which has always resided with the person who signifies evil. Blue." I whispered.

Meru gasped out loud as I felt the first wave of evil wash through me. I grabbed my head in pain, knowing that my time had come. But then I realized something. No, I shall not die like this. Not now. I have a purpose and I shall fight to the last of my strength to fulfill my purpose. I felt the pain suddenly stop. A swirling cloud appeared and announced Blue's presence. 

"What is this? How could you be able to fight back against the power of the stones? Oh, I see. You can't die like this, can you? Very well, we shall have a duel to the death. If I win, it shall mean absolute evil such as you can not imagine. If you win, I will be no more and the world shall not be forced to endure an era of pain and suffering. Come at me, my weaker half." Blue spoke quickly with a deadly tone to his voice.

He drew his blade, the Marasume, and held it with one hand behind his back, the other hand beckoning me to fight back.

"Blue, I have learned something in my life. I have caused so much pain and bloodshed, so many families torn by my actions. The Diamond Star has drunk the blood of many. I have done things no better than you. But I have done something that you could never do. I now feel the pain I caused. I now feel the damage I have done. And I have done one more thing that never would happen to a being of pure evil such as yourself. I have discovered what a true purpose is. Yes, you know that those without a purpose aren't meant to live. I have a true purpose. A purpose that I now have comes from the heart and soul. My purpose is my willingness to go through Hell for somebody I care for. You could never know love. I have learned it." I whispered softly to my other half.

"So what? I'm meant to live. I have a purpose. It is to destroy all traces of love and life. To destroy that which is good." Blue yelled back at me.

"No! You don't have a purpose. You are an emotionless being." I smirked as I removed my hood for the first time in quite a while. He looked at me with an angry look as he saw my smirk. I continued speaking, "I can kill for spite. I can kill for love. I can kill for anything. My victims never have a purpose and I kill those without one. You… don't have a purpose."

I drew the Diamond Star and held it at ready as he clenched his teeth in anger. He spit quickly before his hands clenched around his sword and he dashed at me.

I know this has got to win the all time cliffhanger of the year award. I just love cliffhangers. But think of it this way. You have all the time in the world to think about a few questions. Who will win this fight of Evil VS Neutrality? Who will rise up to be counted among the halflings? Who will determine the fate of the world? Will Dart ever wash his own underwear? Stay tuned for the final chapter in the Darkened Hope Trilogy! Until next time, this is Redblaze signing off.       


	4. The Final Battle

I see that the brave readers of this site have returned. Either that or you're just plain stupid. Not saying that you're stupid, just saying that you either returned because you're brave or your stupid. I'm going to shut up now before somebody tries to rip my vocal cords out. Anyway, you are about to read the final chapter of an epic tale of good vs. evil. A tale of tragedy. A tale of life and death. A tale that might answer that age-old question: Will Dart ever wash his own underwear? Wait a sec, wrong question, although that is a good question that may never be answered. Here's the real question: Will anyone from the cast of LOD ever change their clothes? I mean, YUCK! No matter how many times you sleep at the inn, next day, they're wearing the same clothes as before! 

  
Ok, on with the real author's note. This will be the last chapter of Darkened Hope. All your questions will be answered. I might even answer that question of whether Dart ever washed his underwear. You'll discover the fate of the world. The ending will leave you shocked. Some people may want to brandish pitchforks and rusty scythes. Some people may want to do stuff the clean way and call the Mafia to get me. But I tell you this. Don't kill me! Please! If you are nice and review, I may write another story like this with Red in it. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Dragoon or any of its characters. 'Nuff said. 

P.S. I'm not sure if I have to say this, but I own Red, so ask if you want to use him. I'm also introducing another character of mine. Ask if you want to use her as well.

P.S.S. This chapter is basically centered around Red. It will be his POV most of the time.

I brandished the Diamond Star and ran at Blue in a fury. I slashed out with all my strength focused on my goal. I felt his blade clash against mine. I swung low and ducked as he slashed high. I felt our swords clash together, an enormous magical charge coming from the two weapons. 

I looked into his face. I thought of how pointless it was that we should be forced into a battle against our other half. It was now his soul of complete evil against my soul of neither. 

I thrust my sword at him as he slashed at me. We both easily dodged around each other's attacks. That is, until my thoughts clouded my mind. 

I thought deeply of everything I was fighting for. I thought of how Meru is watching me as I fought to the death. Meru… I now understand why she felt it was so important that she knew of my love. I now understood completely. 

I suddenly became more aware of everything I cherished in life. Perhaps because of the fact that I may soon lose it all. I thought of the smell of the ocean as it whipped through your hair, the sound of the wind as it blew its ever-changing course. The touch of a lover's sweet lips as they found your own. The taste of their lips encompassing your lips. The sight of thousands of stars shining high above. Thousands of diamonds glinting in the sky. I fully understood what was to come if I didn't win.

I blocked another powerful blow and locked one thought in my mind. Meru. I lashed out with the Diamond Star with a sudden burst of strength and speed. Blue narrowly dodged the Diamond Star as I had planned. I then lashed out with by elbow and caught him in the jaw. He flipped backward onto his feet.

"My, you've grown more powerful then I could imagine. But you still could never match the ferocity of my power." He whispered softly. 

He took two of his fingers and rubbed them across the area I had struck. He withdrew his finger to show them with faint marks of blood. He clenched his teeth in anger as her wiped the blood down the edge of the Marasume.

He ran at me at full speed and vanished just as he was a foot from me. I closed my eyes. He has killed to many normal humans. He thinks that I would trust my eyes in a fight. I completely blacked out any thought of my eyes. I felt the blackness swirling until I felt a sudden power behind me.

My eyes shot opened and I spun. I missed with the Diamond Star and flipped. I brought my foot down at him as he dodged the Diamond Star. He was struck backward where he regained his composition and stood at ready.

"I am impressed. This may be a fight after all. You have landed two blows, as pathetic as they may be, before I have landed my blow. But when I do, you shall be beaten." Blue yelled as he held the Marasume above his head. A white stone embedded in the Marasume's hilt began to glow.

His whole body began to glow as I realized what it was. He was one of the ten dragoons. Nine of the ten were present. Nobody knows who the tenth dragoon is. 

I watched as nearly transparent armor wrapped around him. His armor looked to be stronger and more powerful than that of Dart's new dragoon armor. It held no visible special weapons, but it was obvious that it had hidden weapons. The Marasume had become significantly stronger as well, as it now shown with an evil red light

A black lightning flashed down through the sky. It bolted straight for the outstretched sword of Marasume. The lightning struck and engulfed the sword and its owner. As it struck, I prepared myself for a block and a counterattack. I felt Meru's gaze on me and felt her hope resound in my heart. I will endure any pain so that she may live in this world peacefully. I will go to any length now to win this fight.

The lightning slowly ceased. I watched as my other half brought the sword to a ready position as black lightning flashed around his figure. I prepared myself for the blow. Yet it came so quickly, I had no way to defend myself. Blue launched at me, projecting himself like the lightning. He flashed across the battlefield to me and slashed out. I felt a burning deep in my body as his blade punctured my skin a slid into me.

I flew back through the air as the blade struck. I stood for a second before collapsing to my knee. I looked up at Meru's face while her eyes brimmed with tears. I saw the hope that shown in her heart. I looked at Blue. I saw the smirk on his face as he waited for the last of my life to vanish from my body, leaving my strength to him.

I clutched at the wound that had gone deep into my side. I wasn't dead, not yet. I plan to go out a hero, not a man that nobody knew or would ever care if he were gone. I raised the Diamond Star into the air.

"Diamond Star, Ignite!" The Diamond Star burst into a blue flame. I had to let go of my side to complete the magic. Blood oozed freely from the gash. I placed both of my hands on the Diamond Star's blade. I turned the blade toward myself.

Meru saw this and let out a gasp. I ignored her as I prepared for this attack. This one spell that would define the heavens and the earth. "Diamond Sacrifice!" I felt no pain as I thrust the Diamond Star into my stomach. But I knew that I had just done more damage to my body then Blue had. 

I choked out the next few words as I prepared the final spell. "Sacrificial Beam!"

A beam of blue energy engulfed the Diamond Star. I turned the sword toward Blue as I felt myself weakening. The beam blasted into Blue, ripping through his body. 

I heard Blue's laugh as his body was ripped to shreds. "You fool! You have sacrificed yourself and my body! But my soul shall be shared by the unmatched being, the Black Monster! Together, we will carry out my plans!" 

I felt my mind spinning and tumbling. My body was falling, falling, falling. I cried out in pain and something I had never felt before. Despair. I felt my life energy swirling slowly to the bottom of the hourglass. I felt the last grain of life in me tilt on the edge of the abyss. After that, I felt nothing.

"Red! Red! Please Red, don't go! Don't leave me!" I cried as I ran to his fallen body. I saw the bloody wounds on his body and couldn't bear to check for pulse. It would tear me apart to listen to the silence of his heart. 

I cried as I held his body. How can it be? How can he be gone? How can he be dead?! "Red! You liar! You said you would always be here to protect me! You said you would never leave me again! You liar! Liar!" I cried out in sorrow as I pounded on his chest, wishing that his heart would pound back at me.

I let my tears fall quietly to his chest. He had always been here for me. Now he's gone. Forever gone. It wasn't fair! Why was the man I loved and cared for taken from me? If only it weren't for that Blue!

I cried more tears as I lifted his hood from his face. I saw something curious about him even though I was in much pain. His eyes opened slowly. He stared into my eyes and I felt as though I were going to cry again. I couldn't speak, I was so happy that he was alive. I threw my arms around his neck.

"You're alive. You're alive." I whispered through my tears. I felt his strong arms on my body. I kissed him gently as he embraced me. 

He stood slowly, still holding me in his arms. I buried my face in his chest. I was surprised to feel something metallic on his chest. He slowly stepped away from me. "It is time. All my secrets that I know of myself shall be revealed."

He reached into his robes and took a silver pendent from his neck. It was in the shape of a serpentine dragon. The dragon laced in and out of itself, creating a stunning design. "This pendent is who I am. It holds my strength and power inside. It was forged 11,000 years ago. The very day that the winglies fell to the humans. It was created in total chaos. My direct blood relative, Melbu Frahma, leader of the winglies, put his soul into this pendent. Emperor Diaz, another direct blood relative, leader of the humans, put his soul in this pendent. I draw upon their strength. This pendent has my soul in it. An ancient prophecy states that when the pendent crumbles, the neutrality of the world will be broken. When this pendent crumbles, the Diamond Star shall shatter into a billion pieces. The legendary Cloak of Sorrow shall become a tatter. When this pendent crumbles, it shall signify the beginning of the battle between all that is good, and all that is chaotic and evil."

I looked at him and turned to look out across the sky. A black veil seemed to settle over the world. I knew that what Red had said was true. I turned back to Red as he began to speak again. "I can feel the evil. It is coming. You shall now see me in my entirety. The cloak shall soon tatter." He held out the pendent and turned his hand downward. A thin stream of dust fell from his hand. The pendent was no more. Just a pile of crumbled silver. 

Red drew the Diamond Star and held it up. The blade lifted out of his hand slowly. It floated high above us before falling in countless pieces. Red's robes and cloak slowly disappeared from existence. I looked on as I saw the first glimpse of what he looked like without the cloak.

"This is who I am. I am now no more than a mortal such as yourselves. I no longer draw upon the strength of my ancestors. I can no longer depend upon the strength of the Diamond Star. I can no longer depend upon the power of the cloak. I am one of you. I now must fight with my own power, and not of my ancestor's. But I am still one side of the coin that is Blue and I. Which side shall face up when our battle is done, I do not know." Red spoke softly.

I looked at the few remaining pieces of the pendent, sword, and cloak that had protected the man I love. I walked to Red and took his hand. 

"Does this mean you're normal? That you can live a normal life?" I asked softly.

"Meru, I can not live a normal life. Meru, I must tell you this now. When we confront Blue and the Black Monster for the final time, when the battle is done, I may not be able to live a life with you. No matter the outcome, I won't be a normal being. If Blue wins, I will be gone forever. If I win, I will be a god. I won't be able to live a peaceful life with you." Red whispered quietly to me.

I nodded my head slowly. "I understand." I spoke in a very quiet voice.

I looked toward the ground. I wish so hard that after this was over, Red could come and live with me. I might have even been able to talk him into… marriage. The thought stuck in my mind. I love him enough for that, and yet, he can't be with me. It's not fair that love this deep can't be. 

Dart walked slowly to us. "Meru, he's right. Red would never be able to live like a normal human being. He is far more than any of us." 

I merely nodded, not responding to anyone as they spoke to me. We left the mountain quickly, heading straight to get Red a sword. He refused any armor offered him, so he remained in his clothes. After we had selected a light and sturdy sword for Red, we immediately headed toward the Death Frontier, Red leading the way. 

"There is one weapon capable of killing the Black Monster, once and for all. It is the Soul Cutter. It is a magical sword that has the power to banish a soul. It is hidden within the mountains to the east of the Death Frontier. We'll go there immediately." Red said as we traveled toward the desert.

I followed him slowly as we walked. I feared the day when he and Blue fought for the final time. It would be the day when Red would part with me for good. I looked at Red in silence and felt crushed. 

I was surprised when he doubled back and began to walk along beside me. "Meru," He whispered, "please understand. Soa had made it fate that the world would be destroyed. You and Dart and Rose and everybody else fought to keep it from happening. You sacrificed so much for this world. Long ago, I made a vow. It was to protect you. If I were to stay with you, you'd never be safe. I'm sorry. I understand how you feel."

I felt the tears in my eyes as I thought about his words. 

I quietly walked beside Meru for a while longer. I could understand how she felt alone. I understood that well. Before she had come, I had been alone. Before her, I had been completely alone. Except for one point in time. I still remembered that girl well. 

I felt strange without the Diamond Star by my side. It had been more than just a sword. It had been a weapon of beauty of strength. It had been something that I could stare at for hours and allow the pain in my troubled heart and soul to withdraw from me. I remembered the engraving upon the hilt of the blade. The interlocking diamonds that connected to create a brilliant star. 

I shook my head. No, the Diamond Star is gone. I mustn't think about it anymore.

We continued to walk for many days as we neared are destination. I felt vulnerable without the cloak or the Diamond Star. I didn't have the protection of my ancestors anymore. All I have left is my own strength. 

As we neared the Death Frontier, we slowed down. I stopped the group so that I could talk to them. "I'm sorry to say this, but you must all stay here. This is something I must do on my own. I must go to the mountains alone. There is… something about my past there. Something I don't know. There I will discover my true destiny and my true past. I wish to confront myself alone. Wait for me here. Goodbye." I whispered the last word to Meru and I felt her kiss me gently. 

I walked away slowly, thinking of Meru. I'll finally know if I need to stop being with her. If so, than that was our last embrace. I thought of these people I traveled with for so long. They are not friends. I have no friends. One such as I shall never have friends. 

I journeyed through the Death Frontier, finally seeing what my own power was. I was still fast as ever and held much of my mobility. But my strength had been severely decreased with the loss of the magic cloak and sword. I noticed this as I ripped through the flesh of some creature that assaulted me. 

At several points in my journey, I nearly collapsed from despair. Before, I was more than a human. I needed no friends or companions. Now, I felt the loneliness creep in on me. It was human to long for the company of a living being. But I shall overcome it as I have before. I have no friends, nor do I need them. 

It was my fourth day in the desert when I thought I saw a shadow dart across the land. It would have been easily unnoticed by a normal being, but I still retained my half-wingly abilities. I had heard a strange noise as I saw the figure, but I couldn't distinguish what it was. The shadow had been a blur when I saw it. 

I had inspected the area I saw the shadow appear in. I saw nothing save one boot print in the sand. Other than that print, I found no sign of what I had seen. I than began on my trail to the east mountains around the Death Frontier.

It was as I awoke on the seventh day that I saw another strange occurrence. Near where I had slept was a single word. Red. This gave me a feeling that the figure I had seen knew me somehow. And that was strange, as not many knew my name.

Finally, on the eighth day, I set up camp at the foot of one of the mountains. It was as I was preparing my meal for that day when a black flower, known as the Black Lotus, fell from above to the ground beside me.

I stood and turned around, knowing what I would see there. I looked into the eyes of a young woman with jet-black hair. Her eyes were dark brown and stared at me unblinking. She wore a pair of black boots that came up to her knee. She wore brown pants that seemed loose on her. She also wore an emerald shirt that had a bright blue diamond engraved on the chest. Her vest was fiery red. Attached to her pants was a black belt that held a sheath with a silver handle of a sword. Her hair was held back by a hairpiece with black gems in it.

"Red," She spat out at me angrily, "how can you come here? Do you even remember who I am? I was your friend. The only one you ever had. I had saved your life. And you repay me by leaving me alone? I had no one to talk to, no one to keep me company for the last fifteen years! I should kill you now. That was the same flower that you left behind when you left."

I stared into her face, remembering so long ago. "Ahrena. You have every right to be angry with me. But I had left for your own good. I could tell what you were thinking, what you were feeling. I knew how you felt. I would've hurt you more if I had stayed." I said calmly.

Ahrena looked at me with a startled expression. "You, you knew? How could you? I had barely known it myself."

I closed my eyes and thought back to the day I left. "I could see it in your eyes. When you looked at me, I could see what you felt toward me. I'm telling you now that it could never be. Ahrena, I had been killed several years ago. One who had helped kill me had brought me back to life. If I had been with you, you would have been killed. I couldn't let that happen. But you were never anything more than my closest and only friend."

Ahrena looked at me slowly. "I see. You are different than when we last saw each other. What has happened since then? Wait, where is your sword? The Diamond Star, where is it? You never put that sword down."

I reached into my satchel and retrieved the on remaining piece of the Diamond Star. "It's been destroyed by prophecy. Same as the cloak." I said, leaving out the pendent, as she did not know about it.

"I see. Tell me what has happened." Ahrena said as she sat down on a rock. 

"I see that you still have all the energy you've always held. Alright, I'll tell you what happened to me." I then began to tell her of my journeys. She seemed slightly upset when I told her about Meru.

"Ok, so I'm not good enough for you, is that it?" She said playfully, "You have to have a pure-blood wingly. Can't settle with me even though we're the exact same species." She referred to us half-winglies as our own species, even though we're just a mix of humans and winglies.

"Yes, I know what you mean. But I didn't care that she was wingly. I cared for her because she had cared for me first. That's why I loved her." I whispered softly, feeling the pain of feelings like these that the cloak had shielded me from for so long. 

Ahrena's voice turned serious. "You do know that I… cared, right?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yes, I knew. But I couldn't endanger you by countering your feelings. Ahrena, you don't know this, but the end is near. I don't necessarily mean the end of the world, but that's a possibility. But the end of my pain, my sorrow, and possibly my life, is at hand. I'm am indeed sorry for the pain I put you through. I couldn't possibly understand that the pain I put you in was worse than the pain of death. I found that out myself."

Ahrena stood slowly. "I know why you came. You need the Soul Cutter. That's the only reason you would come here, if not to see me. Although I can't see why you would come to see me. But the sword is in the closest mountain to us. But you can't go now. It's getting late. So I ask, may I stay here for the night?"

I nodded slowly as I built a fire. "Yes you may stay… old friend." 

After a while, the fire was burning brightly. I sat beside it as Ahrena sat on the other side. "How old were we when we last saw each other? It was fifteen years ago. I know we were young at the time." Ahrena said.

I thought back again and tried to remember. "Let's see. You were fifteen and I was fourteen. But even in our youth, we were both stronger and wiser than any human." I replied.

"Did you make any true friends while you were away?" Ahrena asked.

My thoughts turned icy black. "No. I have no friends, nor do I need them. You are the only one who comes close to being a friend."

"What about Meru?" Ahrena whispered.

"She is… much more. I replied shortly.

Ahrena didn't say anything for a while. She eventually said, "You're here for the Soul Cutter, and I can feel that something is wrong. The Black Monster is free. But you never cared about the Black Monster, why do you now?"

"My other half. He is one with the Black Monster. When our struggle ceases, either he will be a supreme god, or I will. I already know that you plan on following me. I insist that you don't. I can't bare the thought of my one true friend being killed. Tonight will probably be the last time you ever see me. I leave in the morning. If you awaken early enough, then you will be able to say goodbye." I whispered. 

I continued to stare into the flames. I thought of my life and how it was about to be given up. I would no longer be myself after Blue and I battle for the final time. Ahrena interrupted my thoughts.

"Red, there's something you probably should know about me." She said.

I turned my attention to her. "What do you mean?"

"Ever since we first met, you had been special. You were something else. A dragoon, a halfling, the Protector of the Dragon of Time. You had been so different from me. But now, you're not quite as different." She held out a small stone. "I'm a dragoon." 

I looked at her with sudden surprise. "You are the tenth dragoon? But that means… you aren't the innocent girl I once knew. The dragon spirit enhances the insanity a battle produces. A dragon spirit never shines for those who haven't taken the blood of a sentient being."

Ahrena nodded slowly. "Yes, I did kill many men. I couldn't let them tell about me. But please, I don't want to talk about this. Why don't we go to sleep?" 

I stood up and motioned toward the sleeping bag. "You take it. I will sleep here. Awaken me if you need anything. And if you're asleep when I leave, goodbye."

I laid myself down upon the ground. I looked at her and saw the hurt expression on her face. I understood how I hurt her by leaving before and leaving now. I decided to at least leave her slightly happier than this.

"Ahrena, if I hadn't met Meru, I would have been beside you." I whispered gently.

She didn't reply, but I could see a faint smile on her lips. I sighed and looked up into the sky. I thought of Meru and wondered if she was worried about me. "Just a little longer." I whispered.

I closed my eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep. I awoke early the next morning. I stood up and made sure I had everything I needed. As I was about to leave, I heard a soft voice. 

"Red, goodbye. I'll miss you. Red, I want you to promise to never forget me. And if Meru ever dumps you, you know where to find me." She said with a grin. 

I nodded and began to walk away. I heard her run towards me, so I turned to her. I was surprised when she threw her arms around me and hugged me. "Never forget me. Please don't forget me." She whispered through her tears.

"Ahrena, I promise you that I will never, ever forget you. You are my only true friend. I will always remember you." I whispered as she let go. "Goodbye."

I walked away from her slowly. I knew that I probably would never see her again. I felt a tear in my eye. A tear from the feelings I held. The cloak had guarded me from feelings such as sorrow or remorse. Now I truly feel what I did to people's lives.

I watched as her figure disappeared behind a clump of rocks as I rounded a bend in the path. I looked up to the summit. That is where the sword will be. I made it to the top in a few hours. I looked around and saw a pedestal. On it was a sword. It had ornate markings on the blade. I picked up the sword and felt the edge. I sensed it's magical powers, even though it was much weaker than the Diamond Star had been.

It was as I had just begun to descend the mountain when I felt it. Overwhelming evil surrounded me. I knew instantly what it was.

"Blue! Show yourself!" I yelled.

"Alright. I will. I recreated my body and am now ready to face you. Unfortunately, I was unable to retrieve my dragon spirit. But I will just block out yours. This will be our final battle. I'll kill you here and now. Even if you were to defeat me, my power still resides in the Black Monster. You'll be a god against a god fused with the most powerful being there is. And you don't even have the Diamond Star or the Cloak of Sorrow." I heard Blue say.

Blue suddenly appeared, Marasume in hand. I raised the Soul Cutter, hoping it would be strong enough. Blue wasted no time talking. He charged at me and I raised my new sword to block. Our blades met and I felt the strain as he pushed against me. I ducked and swung my foot. He dodged my kick easily.

"Oh please. Don't waste your time with feeble kicks and punches." Blue spat.

Without the Diamond Star, I was unable to use any of my special abilities. I couldn't teleport to attack him at great speeds, so I prepared to out maneuver him. I ran at him quickly and watched as he swung right where I would be. I flipped to the right and avoided another blow as I slashed out. I felt my blade connect with his flesh as he gave a sharp cry of pain. 

Anger filled his eyes as his sword slashed out. It connected with mine and I held my blade firm. He suddenly gave a powerful push and I was thrown backward. I jumped to my feet as he ran at me. I had no time to move. He slammed his shoulder into my chest and I was thrown back again. I slammed into a rock wall and slowly stood. I saw him preparing to charge at me with the Marasume. I could never stop it.

"I'm sorry Meru, Ahrena, everybody. I failed." I said as I prepared to die

I saw him running at me full speed. I stared into his cold eyes, prepared to go out fighting for the world, even if I failed. He was a few feet from me as I prepared for the blow. Suddenly, he stopped. I let out a cry as I saw why. 

He stepped backward as I kneeled down beside Ahrena. "No. Ahrena, you can't die. Don't die. Please, hold on." I whispered to the fallen girl. The Marasume had plunged into her stomach and she was bleeding heavily. 

I saw her ragged breaths as she attempted to speak. I put two fingers to her lips. "Don't talk. Please, just hold on. He's gone too far." I whispered.

I stood, hatred filling my heart. I ignored my wounds. I turned to Blue. "You… are about… to die. If your purpose is to kill innocent people, then it was done long ago. I …will kill you… now!"

I ran at Blue with all my hatred converted to strength. I slashed out, knocking his blade back as he blocked. I spun and kicked him hard in the face. I sliced out again and he caught his sword against mine. I saw fear clouding his mind. I stared into his eyes with an indescribable hatred. I forced his sword backward and caught his jaw with a powerful punch. I jabbed at him before raising the blade. I slashed at him, spinning the blade in my hand. I then slammed down at him with my foot. I jabbed at him with the butt of the blade and he fell backward.

"What… hap… happened… to… you? It's … it's… impossible. You… can't… win. How… can… you… be… so… powerful?" Blue struggled to speak.

"You've caused too much pain and suffering in this world. I will not let you live any longer. You have lived far too long already. Prepare to die." I whispered.

I saw the look of complete fear in his eyes as I stood over him. I slashed out, embedding the sword deep in his chest, penetrating the sorry excuse for a heart he had. I watched as his blood seeped out of his body. I felt strength incomprehensible to any man. I felt divine power seeping into me. 

I walked over to Ahrena's form. She coughed slightly as she looked into my eyes. I felt the tears in my eyes as I looked at her. "Ahrena, he's dead. I killed him. Please, don't die. You're my only friend in the world. If you die, I'm alone. Please, just hang on."

"Red… I… understand… what's… happening… to… me. I'm… dying. Red… remember… this. I… loved… you… fifteen… years… ago. I… love… you… now. It… might… give… you… strength… if… you… remem… remember… m, m, me." Ahrena whispered slowly as her eyes began to close.

"Ahrena! Not yet! Ahrena." I whispered to her as her eyes closed almost completely and her pulse slowed. I gently kissed her forehead. "I'll always remember you."

As she closed her eyes, her hand opened and she held out her dragon spirit. I understood that she wanted me to have it. I took the stone softly and felt her wrist. Her pulse grew fainter and fainter before it disappeared.

"Ahrena. I'll destroy all traces of the evil that killed you. I'll kill the Black Monster and the last traces of Blue within the Black Monster. Your death will be avenged." I whispered as I held back the tears that threatened to escape my eyes.

I stood up and dried my eyes with my sleeve. I felt the powers I possessed and felt that I could teleport again. I picked up Ahrena's body and concentrated on the spot where I had left the others.

I felt the familiar feeling of incredible speeds as I traveled instantly to the spot. I felt myself appear and I opened my eyes to see the tents of everybody. I had failed to notice that night had fallen. I decided not to wake anybody up, so I took Ahrena's body about twenty yards away from the camp. There, I dug a grave for her, so that my only friend would have a proper burial. 

Twenty minutes later, due to my increase strength because of my new power, I finished Ahrena's grave. I felt a tear fall as I thought of how she gave her life for me. I then looked into the dragon spirit she gave me. It would tell me my destiny.

As I stared into it. I was shocked. It startled me so much, that I dropped the stone. I quickly picked it up and put it away. This is my destiny. I will accept it.

I pushed what I had seen from my mind as I walked back to the camp. I walked to Meru's sleeping bag. I was amazed as I passed a wash basin. Dart's underwear was in it.

I kneeled down beside Meru and lay down. I stared into her face, amazed by the beauty she possessed. I felt another tear come to my eye as I thought of Ahrena. I closed my eyes softly, hoping it was a dream, and that Ahrena wasn't dead. I felt myself drift off into sleep. 

I awoke at dawn. No one else was awake, so I walked slowly to the grave I had dug. I knelt down beside it and just whispered words of sorrow and grief to myself. I stopped when I heard a familiar voice that I loved so much.

"Red! Red's back!" Meru yelled as she ran to me. I continued to kneel down beside Ahrena's grave. 

Meru noticed the grave in front of me and the expression on my face. "Red, what happened?"

I looked up into her face and told her the whole story of Ahrena and myself. I told her what had happened on the mountain and how Blue was dead. I told her how I now had the power of a god. I didn't dare tell her what I had seen in the dragon spirit.

"Red, I'm so sorry. I didn't know that you didn't consider us friends. I thought you did." Meru said.

"You are more than a friend, Meru." I whispered, "But the others are companions, not friends."

I stood and took the dragon spirit of the void dragon and the dragon spirit of the fortune dragon and put them down on the grave. "I have no use of either of you. I don't deserve to be one of the dragon warriors. I ask you now to protect her in the afterlife."

I buried the two dragon spirits in the grave. I turned to Meru and walked back into the camp. The others were awake and I saw that it wasn't Dart who washed his underwear. Somehow, Dart had managed to talk Lavitz and Albert into washing his underwear for him.

Soon everybody gathered around me. "It is done." I began, "I confronted Blue for the final time. He killed a young woman who didn't deserve to die. We must avenge her death fully by destroying the Black Monster forever. Everybody hold hands. I will teleport us to the Black Monster's lair." I said calmly.

As soon as everybody had done as I said, I teleported us. We appeared in a strange place. Above us were the remains of the very tree that created life. The Divine Tree. About a hundred feet away from us was a black figure. 

I closed my eyes as I felt the evil powers of this being. The Black Monster combined with the power Blue had left behind. It turned toward us and looked at us in an amused fashion. I turned to Dart and handed him the Soul Cutter. I would have a more powerful weapon this time. 

The Black Monster glided across the ground toward us. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my new power. I felt my hair flash red and a red tint covered my eyes for a few seconds. I knew that my hair and eyes were now blood red to signify that I had changed to my more powerful form. I raised my fist high and felt the glorious magic return to it. The Diamond Star took from in my hand. I felt the Cloak of Sorrow wrap around my body. I felt the pendant rebuild itself as it appeared around my neck. I felt my speed, strength, and power increase remarkably. Finally, my feet floated off the ground and I stood a foot over the ground.

The Black Monster looked at us all as we prepared for our final battle. I raised the Diamond Star toward the Black Monster.

The Black Monster lashed put with lightning speed and deadly accuracy. It took hold of Miranda by the throat and held her high above the ground. It spoke with a voice of complete evil. "Let this be an example of my power. You will watch her die before your eyes. You can not win."

The Black Monster squeezed Miranda's throat tighter while Miranda struggled. Kongol, Haschel, and Meru attempted to hit the Black Monster all at once. The blows of their weapons did not affect the Monster at all. Miranda's struggles became weaker until she stopped moving entirely. 

"See how easy that was? I've already killed one of you pathetic group. You fail to comprehend my power." The Monster spoke loudly.

I glided over to Miranda and found that she was indeed dead. I felt my anger grow slightly as I thought of another death Blue helped cause. I flew at the Monster and slashed out with the Diamond Star, dealing more damage than even the Soul Cutter could. The Diamond Star would be capable of killing this soul.

The Black Monster ran at Haschel and Kongol. It slammed them both with deadly power and they fell to the ground, dead. 

"No! This can't be happening!" Dart exclaimed as he saw the two fall. "Everybody, dragoon!" 

Meru, Albert, Rose, and Dart held up their dragon spirits. The four of them transformed to their dragoon forms. We all prepared to mount a major attack run before he had a chance to defend. 

Dart charged up his twin cannons, Meru prepared to summon the Water Dragon, Albert spun his spear in order to create the wind for his Gaspless spell, Rose began to summon the Dark Dragon, Lavitz distracted the Black Monster and I began to whisper a few well chosen words. 

I slashed out the Diamond Star and yelled, "Blazing Star Shower!" Fire shot from my free hand and engulfed the Diamond Star in a blue flame. I took the Diamond Star into my other hand and from my newly freed hand shot white flames that mixed with the Diamond Star's blue flame. The flame became a stunning white color as twenty stars that matched the engraved star on the hilt of the blade flew into the sky. These burst into flame as they hurtled down at the Black Monster. They each hit the Monster, one after another. The Black Monster jumped to its feet after the stars were finished. 

The Water Dragon appeared and was absorbed by Dart's cannons, exactly as we planned. The same happened with the Dark Dragon. Albert was about to send his Gaspless spell when the Black Monster lashed out and took hold of Lavitz by the head. Lavitz let out a cry of shock as he was thrown at Albert. I felt more anger well up inside me as I heard Lavitz's neck snap as he hit Albert. Albert fell back and the Black Monster was on him in an instant. The Monster punched through the armor of Albert's and Albert gave a quiet breath as his lungs collapsed.

"My Liege!" I cried as Albert stopped breathing. I felt overwhelming anger fill again as I prepared another attack.

"Diamond Mega Blast!" I cried out.

I threw the Diamond Star into the ground below my feet. The star on the hilt glowed brightly as energy rushed into it. It absorbed the power of every attack thus far. It absorbed any energy left in the bodies of my comrades. It absorbed all the energy that still lingered from the destruction of The Moon That Never Sets. The star glowed a blindingly bright white. A beam erupted from the star and engulfed the Black Monster. Explosions erupted throughout the beam and slammed into the Black Monster. I ripped the Diamond Star from the ground as the blast diminished. 

Dart sped forward and slashed out quickly. But it wasn't quick enough. The Black Monster grabbed Dart and Rose and slammed them both into the ground, killing them both instantly.

I let out an angry yell. This is too much! It's impossible! I felt anger so great that I felt as though I was about to explode.

"Diamond Crescent Blade!" I yelled out, calling yet another more powerful spell. 

I slashed out the Diamond Star at incredible speeds. Small crescent shaped energy blades erupted each time I slashed out. I slashed faster then the eye could see. I spun, creating a huge blade that flew at the Black Monster. I flew high into the air before slashing downward, sending a blade larger then all the others flying at the Black Monster. It struck the Black Monster with a powerful blow.

I turned to see Meru flying at the Black Monster. I tried to stop her, but was too late. The Black Monster grabbed her and threw her backward, not killing her, but stunning her momentarily. A flash of light erupted and I saw the Dragon Buster appear in his hands. I flew to Meru as fast I could. I cried out as the Dragon Buster pierced her armor and her body. She fell into my arms, coughing up blood. 

She stared into my eyes and I knew that she see the tears in my eyes. I set her down slowly as I felt her life fading. Blue was truly in this Monster. He forced me to defeat him the exact same way. With the loss of someone important to me. 

"Meru, oh god, no. I hate this! I'm a god but I can't do anything to save you! Why am I so powerless?! I love you Meru. Don't die thinking otherwise." I captured her lips in my own. 

She coughed up more blood before she spoke. "Red… I'll… say… hi to… Ahrena… for… you." 

I cried out in anger as her heart stopped completely. I set her body down and turned to the Monster. "I can't forgive you! Never! You and I live the same life. We live by blood! You cover the ground in their blood! I shall kill you and your blood shall stain the ground! You are a spirit. You don't have a purpose it the world of the living! Die!"

My anger soared through my mind. I felt my power maximizing with my anger and hatred. "Diamond Attack Run!" I yelled loudly.

I flashed across the landscape. I reached the Monster and slashed out. My arms were flying at speeds faster than sound. I slashed and kicked out with powerful blows. I slammed into the Black Monster with a menacing blow. I pounded again as it flew backward and slammed the ground. 

It got up and laughed. "If that's the best you have, than you are about to die."

"I know my destiny. I know the fate of this world. I know this world's destiny. I know your destiny. With this… final blow… I shall… make these fates… come true. This world will be reborn. I will erase all life on this planet. You, me, the humans, winglies, gigantos, and all other species shall be eliminated from the planet. This world will start with a new Divine Tree, one without an evil species in it. One without the Virage Embryo. You shall never exist again. And I will have the thing I want. I will be able to live in heaven, with Meru, Ahrena, and… my friends." I yelled as I felt power streaming throughout my body.

I saw everything I ever did as it happened. I felt the blast rip through my body and the entire planet. I looked up and smiled. "I'm coming home." 

There, that is the end of the Darkened Hope trilogy. I had a lot of stressful nights working on this story. I really hope you enjoyed this. I know, didn't the ending just take you completely by surprise? Anyway, if you want to borrow either Red or Ahrena, please ask me first. Also, if you review, I might write another story with Red and possibly Ahrena in it. Depends on how you review. Anyway, until next time, this is Red Blaze, signing off.


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